System and method for enabling group channels in an IP marketplace

ABSTRACT

A comprehensive platform for merchandising intellectual property (IP) and conducting IP transactions is disclosed. A standardized data collection method enables IP assets to be characterized, rated and valuated in a consistent manner. Project management, workflow and data security functionality enable consistent, efficient and secure interactions between the IP Marketplace participants throughout the IP transaction process. Business rules, workflows, valuation models and rating methods may be user defined or based upon marketplace, industry or technology standards.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/194,258 entitled “System and Method for Enabling Marketing ChannelsIn an IP Marketplace” and filed on Jul. 29, 2011. The '258 applicationis a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/113,851entitled “System and Method for Enabling Marketing Channels In an IPMarketplace” and filed on May 23, 2011. The '851 application is acontinuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/862,912entitled “System and Method for Enabling Product Development” and filedon Aug. 25, 2010. The '912 application is a continuation in part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/640,550 entitled “System and Method forAdjusting Intake Based On Intellectual Property Asset Data” and filed onDec. 17, 2009. Each of these applications is incorporated by referencein its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to providing a tradingmarketplace, and more particularly, to providing an automated platformto enable intellectual property transactions.

BACKGROUND

The marketplace for intellectual property (IP) assets tends tounderperform due to several issues. For example, the marketplace isfragmented and the marketplace generally lacks defined channels forbuyers, sellers and service providers to find each other and transact.The marketplace also lacks standardization in that many potential dealseither never materialize or are not completed because of a lack ofstandards, centralized knowledge and best practices. Moreover, many IPtransactors (buyers and sellers) lack the tools to accomplish the stepsthat comprise a successful IP transaction. Attempts to address thesefragmentation and standardization issues include trying to consolidateIP transactors within specific industries and creating seller specificsolutions. However, these attempts fall short of providing a universal,end-to-end solution.

As such, a long felt need exists for a universal, end-to-end, automated,standards driven IP marketplace solution that is open to all or a subsetof IP transactors, regardless of industry, and that providesstandardized tools to help IP sellers identify, value and market theirIP.

SUMMARY

Methods and systems provide a member of an intellectual property (IP)Marketplace (IP owners, buyers, consultants, etc.) with variousfunctionality for facilitating commercialization of IP assets. Invarious embodiments, the IP Marketplace system provides user andorganizational registration and profiling, IP disclosure and approval,valuing and rating of IP assets, merchandising and cataloging,customized searches and IP matching algorithms, referral services, dealnegotiation, transaction execution, marketing tools, collaborationtools, IP asset management (e.g., royalty and maintenance feemanagement), and data collection and reporting.

The IP Marketplace system may provide a template that requestsstandardized data for characterizing IP assets. The system receives IPdocumentation for an IP asset and a portion of the IP documentationincludes the standardized data. The IP documentation is validated, andin various embodiments, the system obtains approval from the IP owner ofthe data collected for the IP asset. A logic engine accesses algorithmsand inputs data from both internal and external data sources, thencreates a valuation and a rating of the IP asset.

The IP Marketplace generates a summary of the IP asset which includes amarketing document used to market the IP asset to potential buyers. Aproject is set up for the commercialization of the IP asset and theproject may be based upon a standardized workflow for executing an IPtransaction. Permissions are associated with the IP documentation andother data stored for an IP asset. The IP Marketplace may enable variouslevels of permissions to accommodate the complex set of users, data andsteps associated with an IP transaction.

In various embodiments, the system receives an inquiry from a buyer thatincludes requested IP asset attributes. The system matches the requestto the IP asset using a proprietary matching algorithm. The system mayfacilitate consummation of the IP transaction by generating atransaction task list for an asset based upon a standardized IPtransaction workflow. The may also track the status of a plurality oftasks that comprise the transaction task list. The system also provideslogistical support by providing referrals for service providers (e.g.,lawyers, valuation experts, etc.) and by identifying resources such as,for example, meeting rooms that can be accessed by transactionparticipants. The system further provides comprehensive IPcommercialization support by enabling post-transaction activities, suchas tracking patent maintenance fee payments and calculating royaltypayments.

In various embodiments, an IP commercialization system includesfunctionality to determine channels that may be relevant, useful orinteresting to a user based upon the user profile information and/orupon IP assets associated with the user. The IP commercialization systemdetermines an IP portfolio associated with a user and analyzes the IPportfolio to determine a plurality of factors associated with the IPportfolio. Based at least partially upon the plurality of factors, thesystem determines a first channel to present to the user; and presentsthe first channel to the user. The system groups the channels andpresents them to the user in a channel interface. The system enables theuser to invoke the channel (or the service associated with the channel)and determines data interface requirements associated with the channel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present inventions may be derivedby referring to the detailed description and claims when considered inconnection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer tosimilar elements throughout the Figures, and:

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a high level conceptual designfor enabling an IP marketplace, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating major system components forenabling an IP marketplace, in accordance with an exemplary embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for enabling IPcommercialization, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for disclosingIP asset information, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary user interface for amarketing interface, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary user interface for achannel guide, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary user interface for achannel guide, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The systems and methods provide an improved, tangible, integrated,online IP marketplace. An embodiment may be implemented by a system,computer readable medium or a method or any combination thereof. Thesystems and methods include a unique combination of one or more featuresassociated with an IP marketplace. In various embodiments, the systemprovides a marketplace for interested buyers and sellers to engage in IPtransactions. The system may be implemented as a web-based system thatprovides a process for managing the marketing and sales process oflicensing and commercializing IP assets. A transaction platform (ortransaction engine) consolidates the processes necessary for sellers topresent their available IP, thereby allowing for a more efficient,standardized process for bringing IP to the market. The system enables aone-stop shopping resource for buyers of IP, providing not only amarketplace for available IP, but centralized access to serviceproviders. In various embodiments, the system facilitates dealnegotiation and execution, while also providing search and referralservices for IP resources.

Exemplary benefits of the system include providing standardized data,processes, and valuation and rating methods to members of an IPmarketplace. The members of the marketplace benefit by the efficiencyand transparency created by this standardization. Sellers are betterable to market and commercialize IP assets and buyers benefit from beingable to perform comparative analysis for IP assets that are presented ina standardized manner. The IP marketplace provides new revenue streamsto the IP owners by helping to merchandise IP assets. Efficiencies aregained by creating a community of IP owners, industry professionals,sellers and service providers that transact across a common platform.

While the embodiments described herein are described in sufficientdetail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, itshould be understood that other embodiments may be realized and thatlogical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the detailed description hereinis presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation.

For the sake of brevity, conventional data networking, applicationdevelopment and other functional aspects of the systems (and componentsof the individual operating components of the systems) may not bedescribed in detail herein. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown inthe various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplaryfunctional relationships and/or physical couplings between the variouselements. It should be noted that many alternative or additionalfunctional relationships or physical connections may be present in apractical system.

In various embodiments, the system includes a user interface (UI), asoftware module, logic engines, numerous databases and computernetworks. While the system may contemplate upgrades or reconfigurationsof existing processing systems, changes to existing databases and systemtools are not necessarily required by the system and method.

While the description references specific technologies, hardware,equipment, system architectures and data management techniques,practitioners will appreciate that this description is but oneembodiment and that other devices and/or methods may be implementedwithout departing from the scope of the invention. Similarly, while thedescription may reference a user interfacing with the system via apersonal computer user interface, practitioners will appreciate thatother interfaces may include mobile devices, kiosks and handheld devicessuch as personal digital assistants.

“Entity” may include any individual, consumer, consumer, group,business, organization, government entity, transaction account issuer orprocessor (e.g., credit, charge, etc), merchant, consortium ofmerchants, consumer, account holder, charitable organization, software,hardware, and/or any other entity.

An “account”, “account number” or “consumer account” as used herein, mayinclude any device, code (e.g., one or more of an authorization/accesscode, personal identification number (“PIN”), Internet code, otheridentification code, and/or the like), number, letter, symbol, digitalcertificate, smart chip, digital signal, analog signal, biometric orother identifier/indicia suitably configured to allow the consumer toaccess, interact with or communicate with the system. The account numbermay optionally be located on or associated with a rewards account,charge account, credit account, debit account, prepaid account,telephone card, embossed card, smart card, magnetic stripe card, barcode card, transponder, radio frequency card or an associated account.The system may include or interface with any of the foregoing accountsor devices, or a transponder and RFID reader in RF communication withthe transponder (which may include a fob). Typical devices may include,for example, a key ring, tag, card, cell phone, wristwatch or any suchform capable of being presented for interrogation. Moreover, the system,computing unit or device discussed herein may include a “pervasivecomputing device,” which may include a traditionally non-computerizeddevice that is embedded with a computing unit. Examples may includewatches, Internet enabled kitchen appliances, restaurant tables embeddedwith RF readers, wallets or purses with imbedded transponders, etc.

The account number may be distributed and stored in any form of plastic,electronic, magnetic, radio frequency, wireless, audio and/or opticaldevice capable of transmitting or downloading data from itself to asecond device. A consumer account number may be, for example, asixteen-digit account number, although each credit provider has its ownnumbering system, such as the fifteen-digit numbering system used byAmerican Express. Each company's account numbers comply with thatcompany's standardized format such that the company using afifteen-digit format will generally use three-spaced sets of numbers, asrepresented by the number “0000 000000 00000”. The first five to sevendigits are reserved for processing purposes and identify the issuingbank, account type, etc. In this example, the last (fifteenth) digit isused as a sum check for the fifteen digit number. The intermediaryeight-to-eleven digits are used to uniquely identify the consumer. Amerchant account number may be, for example, any number or alpha-numericcharacters that identify a particular merchant for purposes of accountacceptance, account reconciliation, reporting, or the like.

A “transaction account” may include any account that may be used tofacilitate a financial transaction. A financial institution ortransaction account issuer includes any entity that offers transactionaccount services to consumers. Although often referred to as a“financial institution,” the financial institution may represent anytype of bank, lender or other type of account issuing institution, suchas credit card companies, card sponsoring companies, or third partyissuers under contract with financial institutions. It is further notedthat other participants may be involved in some phases of thetransaction, such as an intermediary settlement institution, but theseparticipants are not shown.

An “owner,” “IP owner,” or “seller” may include any entity that owns,owns a majority interest, owns a minority interest, owns any portion,controls, has a right to exploit, or is authorized to convey (e.g., anagent or lawyer) any asset (e.g., an IP asset such as a patent).

A “buyer” may include any entity that purchases goods, services, assets,rights, or IP. For example, a buyer may acquire rights to an IP asset,purchase (via an assignment) an IP asset or may purchase a license torights associated with an IP asset.

A “financial processor,” “payment network,” or “payment system” or“transaction account issuer” may include any entity which processestransactions, issues accounts, acquires financial information, settlesaccounts, conducts dispute resolution regarding accounts, and/or thelike.

FIG. 1A shows an embodiment of a high level conceptual design forenabling an IP marketplace. Participants in the online marketplace mayinclude both member and non-member sellers, buyers and serviceproviders. These participants interact with the IP marketplace platformvia user interfaces. In various embodiments, the platform may includetemplates (and logic engines for dynamically creating templates), accessto user profiles and history, models (e.g., for valuating and/or ratingan IP asset), research tools and access to news.

With reference now to FIG. 1B, an exemplary block diagram illustratingmajor system components for enabling an IP marketplace is presented.System 100 facilitates interaction between a user 105 and IP marketplace115 through, in various embodiments, client 110 with a networkconnection to an Internet server 125 by way of the Internet. In variousembodiments, Internet server 125 employs authentication server 130 tovalidate credentials, assign proper permissions, and retrievepreferences information for authorized user's 105 of IP marketplace 115.

In various embodiments, Internet server 125 employs application server145 to manage various applications and utilities that are utilized bysystem 100. In various embodiments application server utilizes APL+Win,and JBOSS utilizing SEAM, Richfaces JBPM, and other Java libraries(jQuery and Javascript), JAX-WS, Apache POI, and Quartz. In variousembodiments, Internet server 125 interacts directly with the varioussystems and components disclosed herein.

System 100 may include any number of computing platforms and databasessuch as, for example, IP merchandising and transaction engine (IP MATE)147, workflow engine 148 and IP asset database 150. Other systems mayinclude, for example, accounting systems, financial transaction systems,reporting systems, new accounts systems, management information systems,business information systems, external data sources, proprietary systemsand the like. Each of the systems may be interconnected within by anetwork in via any method and/or device described herein. A middlewareserver and/or application server 145 may serve as an intermediarybetween the various systems to ensure appropriate communications betweendisparate platforms. A report engine retrieves and/or is provided withdata from certain of the various systems in order to generate notices,bills, contracts, messages, audit reports, and the like.

System 100, IP marketplace 115 and/or any other components discussedherein may further include one or more of the following: a host serveror other computing systems including a processor for processing digitaldata; a memory coupled to the processor for storing digital data; aninput digitizer coupled to the processor for inputting digital data; anapplication program stored in the memory and accessible by the processorfor directing processing of digital data by the processor; a displaydevice coupled to the processor and memory for displaying informationderived from digital data processed by the processor; and a plurality ofdatabases.

As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, one or moreof the components of system 100 may be embodied as a customization of anexisting system, an add-on product, upgraded software, a stand alonesystem (e.g., kiosk), a distributed system, a method, a data processingsystem, a device for data processing, a computer and/or a computerprogram product. Accordingly, individual system 100 components may takethe form of an entirely software embodiment, an entirely hardwareembodiment, or an embodiment combining aspects of both software andhardware. In various embodiments, a system 100 component (e.g. acomputer) may include a processor, a memory, a communications interface,a network interface, etc. Furthermore, individual system 100 componentsmay take the form of a computer program product on a computer-readablestorage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied inthe storage medium. Any suitable computer-readable storage medium may beutilized, including hard disks, CD-ROM, flash memory, optical storagedevices, magnetic storage devices, and/or the like.

The system contemplates uses in association with web services,transaction processing, utility computing, pervasive and individualizedcomputing, security and identity solutions, autonomic computing,commodity computing, mobility and wireless solutions, open source,biometrics, grid computing and/or mesh computing.

User 105 may include any buyer, seller, IP owner, individual, customer,group of individuals, charity, cardholder, business, entity, governmentorganization, software and/or hardware that utilizes system 100 oraccesses system 100 functionality. User 105 may include, for example, apotential buyer of IP assets, a full member of the IP marketplace, apartial member, a service provider, etc. User 105 may also include anyconsumer that has a transaction account with a transaction accountissuer. User 105 may also include anyone who applied for the account,currently has the card in her possession, has proxy or other rights touse or maintain the account, is partially or fully responsible to paythe charges on the account and/or the like. User 105 may include aconsumer who uses an account code without any physical card, uses atransponder, and/or uses a physical transaction card, to purchase itemswhich are billed on the billing statement discussed herein. In variousembodiments, user 105 may interface with IP marketplace 115 via anycommunication protocol, device or method discussed herein or known inthe art. For example, user 105 may interact with IP marketplace 115 byway of an Internet browser at client 110.

Client 110 comprises any hardware and/or software suitably configured tofacilitate requesting, retrieving, updating, analyzing, entering and/ormodifying data. For example, in various embodiments, client 110 isconfigured to facilitate input, receipt, presentations, analysis and/orreview of information relating to IP assets, merchandising of IP assetsand facilitating IP transactions. Client 110 includes any device (e.g.,personal computer) which communicates (in any manner discussed herein)with IP marketplace 115 via any network discussed herein. Such browserapplications comprise Internet browsing software installed within acomputing unit or system to conduct online transactions and/orcommunications. These computing units or systems may take the form of acomputer or set of computers, although other types of computing units orsystems may be used, including laptops, notebooks, hand held computers,set-top boxes, workstations, computer-servers, main frame computers,mini-computers, PC servers, pervasive computers, network sets ofcomputers, and/or the like. Practitioners will appreciate that client110 may or may not be in direct contact with IP marketplace 115. Forexample, client 110 may access the services of IP marketplace 115through another server, which may have a direct or indirect connectionto Internet server 125. Client 110 may be mobile or may be located in ahome or business environment with access to a network. In an exemplaryembodiment, access is through a network or the Internet through acommercially-available web-browser software package.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, client 110 includes anoperating system (e.g., Windows NT, 95/98/2000, OS2, UNIX, Linux,Solaris, MacOS, Android, iPhone OS etc.) as well as various conventionalsupport software and drivers typically associated with computers orcomputing devices. Client 110 may include any suitable personalcomputer, mobile device, phone, network computer, workstation,minicomputer, mainframe or the like. Client 110 can be in a home orbusiness environment with access to a network. In an exemplaryembodiment, access is through a network or the Internet through acommercially available web-browser software package.

In various embodiments, various components, modules, and/or engines ofsystem 100 may be implemented as micro-applications or micro-apps.Micro-apps are typically deployed in the context of a mobile operatingsystem, including for example, a Palm mobile operating system, a Windowsmobile operating system, an Android Operating System, Apple iOS, aBlackberry operating system and the like. The micro-app may beconfigured to leverage the resources of the larger operating system andassociated hardware via a set of predetermined rules which govern theoperations of various operating systems and hardware resources. Forexample, where a micro-app desires to communicate with a device ornetwork other than the mobile device or mobile operating system, themicro-app may leverage the communication protocol of the operatingsystem and associated device hardware under the predetermined rules ofthe mobile operating system. Moreover, where the micro-app desires aninput from a user, the micro-app may be configured to request a responsefrom the operating system which monitors various hardware components andthen communicates a detected input from the hardware to the micro-app.

Client 110 may be independently, separately or collectively suitablycoupled to the network via data links which includes, for example, aconnection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) over the local loop asis typically used in connection with standard modem communication, cablemodem, Dish networks, ISDN, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or variouswireless communication methods, see, e.g., Gilbert Held, UnderstandingData Communications (1996), which is hereby incorporated by reference.It is noted that the network may be implemented as other types ofnetworks, such as an interactive television (ITV) network.

Client 110 may include any number of applications, code modules,cookies, and the like to facilitate interaction with IP marketplace 115in order to, for example, input data, complete templates/forms, viewreports, validate data, approve data, review IP asset info, participatein a negotiation, review due diligence documents, respond to a survey,and the like. In various embodiments, client 110 may store user 105preferences and/or any other information disclosed herein on a harddrive or any other local memory device. Accordingly, client 110 mayretrieve and store consumer information within a memory structure ofclient 110 in the form of a browser cookie, for example. In anotherembodiment, client 110 retrieves information relating to user 105 fromIP marketplace 115 on establishing a session with Internet server 125.

Firewall 120, as used herein, may comprise any hardware and/or softwaresuitably configured to protect IP marketplace 115 components from usersof other networks. Firewall 120 may reside in varying configurationsincluding stateful inspection, proxy based and packet filtering amongothers. Firewall 120 may be integrated as software within Internetserver 125, any other IP marketplace 115 components or may reside withinanother computing device or may take the form of a standalone hardwarecomponent. Although depicted as a single firewall in FIG. 1, one skilledin the art will recognize that a firewall or multiple firewalls may beimplemented throughout system 100 to enable system and data security.

Internet server 125 may include any hardware and/or software suitablyconfigured to facilitate communications between client 110 and one ormore IP marketplace 115 components. Further, Internet server 125 may beconfigured to transmit data to client 110 within markup languagedocuments (e.g., XML, HTML, etc.). As used herein, “data” may includeencompassing information such as commands, queries, files, data forstorage, and/or the like in digital or any other form. Internet server125 may operate as a single entity in a single physical location or asseparate computing components located together or in separate physicallocations.

Internet server 125 may provide a suitable web site or otherInternet-based graphical user interface which is accessible byconsumers. In various embodiments, Internet server 125 employs RedHatLinux Enterprise 5.x Server and Apache Http server. In variousembodiments, the Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), MicrosoftTransaction Server (MTS), and Microsoft SQL Server, are used inconjunction with the Microsoft operating system, Microsoft NT web serversoftware, a Microsoft SQL Server database system, and a MicrosoftCommerce Server. Additionally, components such as Access or MicrosoftSQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, Informix MySQL, InterBase, etc., may be usedto provide an Active Data Object (ADO) compliant database managementsystem.

Any of the communications, inputs, storage, databases or displaysdiscussed herein may be facilitated through a web site having web pages.The term “web page” as it is used herein is not meant to limit the typeof documents and applications that might be used to interact with theuser. For example, a typical web site might include, in addition tostandard HTML documents, various forms, Java applets, JavaScript, activeserver pages (ASP), common gateway interface scripts (CGI), extensiblemarkup language (XML), dynamic HTML, cascading style sheets (CSS),helper applications, plug-ins, and/or the like. A server may include aweb service that receives a request from a web server, the requestincluding a URL (e.g. http://yahoo.com/stockquotes/ge) and an IP address(e.g. 123.4.56.789). The web server retrieves the appropriate web pagesand sends the data or applications for the web pages to the IP address.Web services are applications that are capable of interacting with otherapplications over a communications means, such as the Internet. Webservices are typically based on standards or protocols such as XML,SOAP, WSDL and UDDI. Web services methods are well known in the art, andare covered in many standard texts. See, e.g., Alex Nghiem, IT WebServices: A Roadmap for the Enterprise (2003), hereby incorporated byreference.

In order to control access to components of IP marketplace 115, Internetserver 125 may invoke authentication server 130 in response to user 105submissions of authentication credentials received at Internet server125 from client 110. Authentication server 130 may include any hardwareand/or software suitably configured to receive authenticationcredentials, encrypt and decrypt credentials, authenticate credentials,and grant access rights according to privileges (e.g., pre-definedprivileges) attached to the credentials. Authentication server 130 maygrant varying degrees of application and data level access to usersbased on information stored within a database and/or any other knownmemory structure.

IP MATE 147 comprises hardware and/or software modules that executeprocesses, access data from IP asset database 150 and interact withworkflow engine 148 to enable the functionality of IP Marketplace 115.

Workflow engine 148 comprises hardware and/or software modules thatimplement process definition, tracking and execution. Workflow engine148 may comprise one or more software applications, modules or dataobjects. The software may be any executable code written in any softwareprogramming language, such as, for example Java®. For example, workflowengine 148 reads data from IP asset database 150 and instantiates a dataobject (e.g. a Java Bean®) to store the data for use by software modulesor other objects. In various embodiments, workflow engine 148 executesan automated or partially automated process such as a price negotiationor an auction. In various embodiments, workflow engine 148 enables users105 to document a process and track progress toward completion of theprocess. Workflow engine 145 reads schedules, sends notices and triggersreport creation.

IP asset database 150 may include any hardware and/or software suitablyconfigured to facilitate storing data relating to, for example, IPassets, legal documents, marketing documents, tracking and status data,schedules, transactions, statements, amounts owed, payments,authentication credentials, user permissions, consumer preferences, andthe like. In various embodiments IP asset database 150 storesstandardized templates and stores IP asset data submitted instandardized form and divided or parsed into separate data (e.g., dataelements or attributes).

One skilled in the art will appreciate that system 100 may employ anynumber of databases in any number of configurations. Further, anydatabases discussed herein may be any type of database, such asrelational, hierarchical, graphical, object-oriented, and/or otherdatabase configurations. Common database products that may be used toimplement the databases include DB2 by IBM (White Plains, N.Y.), variousdatabase products available from Oracle Corporation (Redwood Shores,Calif.), Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL Server by MicrosoftCorporation (Redmond, Wash.), or any other suitable database product.Moreover, the databases may be organized in any suitable manner, forexample, as data tables or lookup tables. Each record may be a singlefile, a series of files, a linked series of data fields or any otherdata structure. Association of certain data may be accomplished throughany desired data association technique such as those known or practicedin the art. For example, the association may be accomplished eithermanually or automatically. Automatic association techniques may include,for example, a database search, a database merge, GREP, AGREP, SQL,using a key field in the tables to speed searches, sequential searchesthrough all the tables and files, sorting records in the file accordingto a known order to simplify lookup, and/or the like. The associationstep may be accomplished by a database merge function, for example,using a “key field” in pre-selected databases or data sectors.

More particularly, a “key field” partitions the database according tothe high-level class of objects defined by the key field. For example,certain types of data may be designated as a key field in a plurality ofrelated data tables and the data tables may then be linked on the basisof the type of data in the key field. The data corresponding to the keyfield in each of the linked data tables is preferably the same or of thesame type. However, data tables having similar, though not identical,data in the key fields may also be linked by using AGREP, for example.In accordance with one aspect of system 100, any suitable data storagetechnique may be utilized to store data without a standard format. Datasets may be stored using any suitable technique, including, for example,storing individual files using an ISO/IEC 7816-4 file structure;implementing a domain whereby a dedicated file is selected that exposesone or more elementary files containing one or more data sets; usingdata sets stored in individual files using a hierarchical filing system;data sets stored as records in a single file (including compression, SQLaccessible, hashed via one or more keys, numeric, alphabetical by firsttuple, etc.); Binary Large Object (BLOB); stored as ungrouped dataelements encoded using ISO/IEC 7816-6 data elements; stored as ungroupeddata elements encoded using ISO/IEC Abstract Syntax Notation (ASN.1) asin ISO/IEC 8824 and 8825; and/or other proprietary techniques that mayinclude fractal compression methods, image compression methods, etc.

In various embodiments, the ability to store a wide variety ofinformation in different formats is facilitated by storing theinformation as a BLOB. Thus, any binary information can be stored in astorage space associated with a data set. As discussed above, the binaryinformation may be stored on the financial transaction instrument orexternal to but affiliated with the financial transaction instrument.The BLOB method may store data sets as ungrouped data elements formattedas a block of binary via a fixed memory offset using either fixedstorage allocation, circular queue techniques, or best practices withrespect to memory management (e.g., paged memory, least recently used,etc.). By using BLOB methods, the ability to store various data setsthat have different formats facilitates the storage of data associatedwith system 100 by multiple and unrelated owners of the data sets. Forexample, a first data set which may be stored may be provided by a firstparty, a second data set which may be stored may be provided by anunrelated second party, and yet a third data set which may be stored,may be provided by an third party unrelated to the first and secondparty. Each of these three exemplary data sets may contain differentinformation that is stored using different data storage formats and/ortechniques. Further, each data set may contain subsets of data that alsomay be distinct from other subsets.

As stated above, in various embodiments of system 100, the data can bestored without regard to a common format. However, in one exemplaryembodiment, the data set (e.g., BLOB) may be annotated in a standardmanner when provided for manipulating the data onto the financialtransaction instrument. The annotation may comprise a short header,trailer, or other appropriate indicator related to each data set that isconfigured to convey information useful in managing the various datasets. For example, the annotation may be called a “condition header”,“header”, “trailer”, or “status”, herein, and may comprise an indicationof the status of the data set or may include an identifier correlated toa specific issuer or owner of the data. In one example, the first threebytes of each data set BLOB may be configured or configurable toindicate the status of that particular data set; e.g., LOADED,INITIALIZED, READY, BLOCKED, REMOVABLE, or DELETED. Subsequent bytes ofdata may be used to indicate for example, the identity of the issuer,user, transaction/membership account identifier or the like. Each ofthese condition annotations are further discussed herein.

The data set annotation may also be used for other types of statusinformation as well as various other purposes. For example, the data setannotation may include security information establishing access levels.The access levels may, for example, be configured to permit only certainindividuals, levels of employees, companies, or other entities to accessdata sets, or to permit access to specific data sets based on thetransaction, merchant, issuer, user or the like. Furthermore, thesecurity information may restrict/permit only certain actions such asaccessing, modifying, and/or deleting data sets. In one example, thedata set annotation indicates that only the data set owner or the userare permitted to delete a data set, various identified users may bepermitted to access the data set for reading, and others are altogetherexcluded from accessing the data set. However, other access restrictionparameters may also be used allowing various entities to access a dataset with various permission levels as appropriate.

The data, including the header or trailer may be received by astand-alone interaction device configured to add, delete, modify, oraugment the data in accordance with the header or trailer. As such, invarious embodiments, the header or trailer is not stored on thetransaction device along with the associated issuer-owned data butinstead the appropriate action may be taken by providing to thetransaction instrument user at the stand-alone device, the appropriateoption for the action to be taken. System 100 contemplates a datastorage arrangement wherein the header or trailer, or header or trailerhistory, of the data is stored on the transaction instrument in relationto the appropriate data.

One skilled in the art will also appreciate that, for security reasons,any databases, systems, devices, servers or other components of system100 may consist of any combination thereof at a single location or atmultiple locations, wherein each database or system 100 includes any ofvarious suitable security features, such as firewalls, access codes,encryption, decryption, compression, decompression, and/or the like.

As used herein, the term “network” includes any cloud, cloud computingsystem or electronic communications system or method which incorporateshardware and/or software components. Communication among the parties maybe accomplished through any suitable communication channels, such as,for example, a telephone network, an extranet, an intranet, Internet,point of interaction device (point of sale device, personal digitalassistant (e.g., iPhone®, Palm Pilot®, Blackberry®), cellular phone,kiosk, etc.), online communications, satellite communications, off-linecommunications, wireless communications, transponder communications,local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), virtual privatenetwork (VPN), networked or linked devices, keyboard, mouse and/or anysuitable communication or data input modality. Moreover, although thesystem is frequently described herein as being implemented with TCP/IPcommunications protocols, the system may also be implemented using IPX,Appletalk, IP-6, NetBIOS, OSI, any tunneling protocol (e.g. IPsec, SSH),or any number of existing or future protocols. If the network is in thenature of a public network, such as the Internet, it may be advantageousto presume the network to be insecure and open to eavesdroppers.Specific information related to the protocols, standards, andapplication software utilized in connection with the Internet isgenerally known to those skilled in the art and, as such, need not bedetailed herein. See, for example, Dilip Naik, Internet Standards andProtocols (1998); Java 2 Complete, various authors, (Sybex 1999);Deborah Ray and Eric Ray, Mastering HTML 4.0 (1997); and Loshin, TCP/IPClearly Explained (1997) and David Gourley and Brian Totty, HTTP, TheDefinitive Guide (2002), the contents of which are hereby incorporatedby reference.

“Cloud” or “Cloud computing” includes a model for enabling convenient,on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computingresources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services)that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal managementeffort or service provider interaction. Cloud computing may includelocation-independent computing, whereby shared servers provideresources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand.For more information regarding cloud computing, see the NIST's (NationalInstitute of Standards and Technology) definition of cloud computing athttp://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SNS/cloud-computing/cloud-def-v15.doc (lastvisited Feb. 4, 2011), which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

The invention may be described herein in terms of functional blockcomponents, screen shots, optional selections and various processingsteps. It should be appreciated that such functional blocks may berealized by any number of hardware and/or software components configuredto perform the specified functions. For example, system 100 may employvarious integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processingelements, logic elements, look-up tables, and/or the like, which maycarry out a variety of functions under the control of one or moremicroprocessors or other control devices.

Similarly, the software elements of system 100 may be implemented withany programming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, COBOL,assembler, PERL, Visual Basic, SQL Stored Procedures, extensible markuplanguage (XML), with the various algorithms being implemented with anycombination of data structures, objects, processes, routines or otherprogramming elements. Software elements (e.g., modules, engines, etc)may be implemented as a web service. In various embodiments, webservices are implemented using Webservice Interoperability OrganizationBasic Profile 1.1.

Further, it should be noted that system 100 may employ any number ofconventional techniques for data transmission, signaling, dataprocessing, network control, and/or the like. Still further, system 100could be used to detect or prevent security issues with a client-sidescripting language, such as JavaScript, VBScript or the like. For abasic introduction of cryptography and network security, see any of thefollowing references: (1) “Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms,And Source Code In C,” by Bruce Schneier, published by John Wiley & Sons(second edition, 1995); (2) “Java Cryptography” by Jonathan Knudson,published by O'Reilly & Associates (1998); (3) “Cryptography & NetworkSecurity: Principles & Practice” by William Stallings, published byPrentice Hall; all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

These software elements may be loaded onto a general purpose computer,special purpose computer, or other programmable data processingapparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions that executeon the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus createmeans for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block orblocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in acomputer-readable memory (or “computer-readable medium”) that can directa computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to functionin a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in thecomputer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture includinginstruction means which implement the function specified in theflowchart block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also beloaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatusto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computeror other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implementedprocess such that the instructions which execute on the computer orother programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing thefunctions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.

Accordingly, functional blocks of the block diagrams and flowchartillustrations support combinations of means for performing the specifiedfunctions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions,and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. Itwill also be understood that each functional block of the block diagramsand flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks inthe block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, can be implemented byeither special purpose hardware-based computer systems which perform thespecified functions or steps, or suitable combinations of specialpurpose hardware and computer instructions. Further, illustrations ofthe process flows and the descriptions thereof may make reference touser windows, web pages, web sites, web forms, prompts, etc.Practitioners will appreciate that the illustrated steps describedherein may comprise in any number of configurations including the use ofwindows, web pages, web forms, popup windows, prompts and/or the like.It should be further appreciated that the multiple steps as illustratedand described may be combined into single web pages and/or windows buthave been expanded for the sake of simplicity. In other cases, stepsillustrated and described as single process steps may be separated intomultiple web pages and/or windows but have been combined for simplicity.

Practitioners will appreciate that there are a number of methods fordisplaying data within a browser-based document. Data may be representedas standard text or within a fixed list, scrollable list, drop-downlist, editable text field, fixed text field, pop-up window, and/or thelike. Likewise, there are a number of methods available for modifyingdata in a web page such as, for example, free text entry using akeyboard, selection of menu items, check boxes, option boxes, and/or thelike.

System 100 enables user 105 (e.g., an IP marketplace participant such asan IP owner or a potential buyer), to buy, sell, search for, catalogue,disclose, negotiate, package, license, etc. IP assets. System 100combines unique standardization, process improvement, workflow, dataintegration, searching, and data security features to enable a seamless,feature-rich IP marketplace. While certain embodiments of the presentinvention are disclosed herein in terms of a patent, practitioners willappreciate that the teachings of the present invention may be equallyapplicable interchangeably between any type of intellectual propertyincluding, for example: trade marks, trade dress, know how, tradesecrets, copyrights, etc. Furthermore, while transactions may bedisclosed herein in terms of a sale (or assignment) of IP assets,practitioners will appreciate that the present invention enables anytype of IP transaction such as a grant of partial rights, an exclusivelicense, a non-exclusive license, a sublicense, a settlement agreement,etc.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in various embodiments, when user 105 logsonto an application, Internet server 125 may invoke an applicationserver 145. Application server 145 invokes logic in the IP MATE 147 bypassing parameters relating to the user's 105 requests for data. IPmarketplace 115 manages requests for data from IP MATE 147 andcommunicates with system 101 components. Transmissions between user 105and Internet server 125 may pass through a firewall 120 to help ensurethe integrity of IP marketplace 115 components. Practitioners willappreciate that the invention may incorporate any number of securityschemes or none at all. In various embodiments, Internet server 125receives requests from client 110 and interacts with various othersystem 100 components to perform tasks related to requests from client110.

Internet server 125 may invoke an authentication server 130 to verifythe identity of user 105 and assign roles, access rights and/orpermissions to user 105. In order to control access to the applicationserver 145 or any other component of IP marketplace 115, Internet server125 may invoke an authentication server 130 in response to user 105submissions of authentication credentials received at Internet server125. When a request to access system 100 is received from Internetserver 125, Internet server 125 determines if authentication is requiredand transmits a prompt to client 110. User 105 enters authenticationdata at client 110, which transmits the authentication data to Internetserver 125. Internet server 125 passes the authentication data toauthentication server which queries the user database 140 forcorresponding credentials. When user 105 is authenticated, user 105 mayaccess various applications and their corresponding data sources.

IP Marketplace 115 enables a standards based, workflow driven, IPcommercialization process. With reference now to FIG. 2, in variousembodiments, IP Marketplace 115 includes user and organizationalregistration and profiling (step 205), IP disclosure and approval (step210), valuing and rating of IP assets (step 215), merchandising andcataloging (step 220), customized search and IP matching algorithms(step 225), referral services, deal negotiation (step 230), transactionexecution, marketing tools, collaboration tools, IP asset management(e.g., royalty and maintenance fee management) (step 230), and datacollection and reporting.

In various embodiments, users 105 (i.e., “members”) are registered as IPowners, customers interested in obtaining the rights to IP and/orservice entities (e.g., lawyers, bankers, accountants, technologypartners etc.). IP Marketplace 115 also allows licensed partners theright (e.g., within certain geographic regions) to offer, negotiate andconsummate membership agreements and the like, for participants totransact on and use the site. In the event a buyer is interested inobtaining the rights to any IP asset, it is the responsibility of the IPowner to invite any relevant registered members to the deal phase. Oncethe deal phase is complete, it is once again the responsibility of theIP owner to remove all access, and if required, remove any related data.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 enables collecting andvalidating IP asset data. A user 105 logs in to IP Marketplace 115 andindicates the desire to enter information regarding an IP asset. IP MATE147, in conjunction with IP asset database 150 and workflow engine 148,determines a template that will be used to collect standardizedinformation regarding the IP asset. “Standardized”, as used herein, mayinclude a template that includes one or more common questions orinformation requests from multiple users. In various embodiments, thetemplate is a standardized disclosure questionnaire. The template can bestandardized based upon various factors such as, for example, industry,technology, type of IP asset, contemplated transaction (e.g., license orsale) or seller of the IP asset. In various embodiments, IP marketplace115 enables commercialization of any type of IP asset including patent,trademarks, trade dress, copyrights, trade secrets and know-how.

For instance, IP MATE 147 may determine a standard set of questions forthe template based on an indication by user 105 that the IP assetinvolves computer software for the financial industry and may alsodetermine additional questions based upon a company profile which isstored in IP asset database (or other IP Marketplace 115 databases). Thecompany profile may include company standards (e.g., business rules andformats) for collecting information for IP assets of the company. Invarious embodiments, IP MATE 147 may determine a standard template forcollection IP asset information based upon best practices that areautomatically generated and refined by IP Marketplace 115. For example,the beset practices may be developed based upon previous transactions,user feedback, industry standards, etc.

IP Marketplace 115 provides (e.g., via client 110), the standardizedtemplate for characterizing the IP asset (Step 305). In variousembodiments, the standardized template comprises a survey tool that eachIP owner registered on IP Marketplace 115 and it can be customized as towhat questions are included in the survey. Thus, the data input can becontrolled at an account (IP owner) level. One skilled in the art willrecognize that the standardized template may be a single form, multipleforms, multiple input screens, requests to upload documents, new orrevised questions based upon responses to previous questions, etc. Forexample, in various embodiments, providing the standardized templateincludes formatting an HTML based form comprising a plurality ofquestions and receiving a plurality of responses. In variousembodiments, IP MATE 147 determines a second question based upon theresponse received from a first question. IP MATE 147 evaluates theresponse to the first question and may perform an analysis comprisingdatabase searches or pattern matching to determine relevance to previoustransactions or to existing IP assets in a company's IP asset inventory.IP MATE 147 formulates the second question (or series of secondquestions) based upon the analysis.

IP Marketplace 115 receives responses based upon the standardizedtemplate (Step 310). The responses include IP documentation (forms,documents, data, etc) for an IP asset. In various embodiments, at leasta portion of the IP documentation received from user 105 regarding an IPasset is in standardized form. In various embodiments, upon IP MATE 147invokes logic to parse a portion of the documentation into dataelements. In various embodiments, the parsing process may includedecrypting the IP documentation and/or encrypting the IP asset dataelements.

As part of a parsing process, IP MATE 147 may also characterize the datato form individual attributes describing the IP asset. IP MATE 147validates the IP documentation (Step 315). Similar to the variousmethods (e.g., as described above) of standardizing input via atemplate, IP MATE 147 may employ various methods and/or draw from avariety of sources to validate the IP documentation. For example, invarious embodiments, IP documentation may be submitted via a companyproprietary input template and IP MATE 147 may parse the submitteddocumentation into data elements and validate the data elements againstvalidation rules that are standardized for IP Marketplace 115. In otherwords, in various embodiments, the data validation process executed byIP MATE 147 enables IP Marketplace 115 to allow an IP owner (e.g., acompany) to collect IP asset documentation based upon a company standardand enforce general standardization of the data by checking certainstandards for data completeness, valid values, etc.

The validation process may include a process of resolving datadiscrepancies. For example, IP MATE 147 may detect that a certain datafield, that may not have been required by a company template, may berequired or desired for the standard cataloging of the IP asset. Inorder to resolve this data discrepancy, IP MATE 147 may determine adefault value and assign it to the IP asset and/or IP MATE 147 mayinvoke workflow engine 148 to generate a series of tasks aimed atresolving the discrepancy.

IP MATE 147 sends an authorization request for the IP asset. In variousembodiments, IP MATE 147 may format a report, send the originallysubmitted IP documentation, and/or send a message to log in to IPMarketplace 115 to review the IP asset data. Similar to processes forresolving data discrepancies, IP MATE 147 may also use workflow engine148 to generate a workplan (a step or series of steps) for obtaining IPowner approval for the IP asset. For instance, in various embodimentsworkflow engine 148 reads IP asset database 150 to determine whether theIP owner has a custom approval process. Based upon the custom approvalprocess, workflow engine 148 creates a series of steps (or tasks) totrack and execute the approval process. For example, workflow engine 148may send a message to a number of approvers and then track whether eachapprover has signed off on the IP asset data. IP MATE 147 determineswhen the approval process is complete (e.g., electronic approvalsreceived from all approving personnel) (Step 320). As discussed in moredetail below, IP MATE 147 manages the data security (e.g., userpermissions) for the IP documentation (step 325) and publishes the IPasset information based upon data security considerations (step 330).

In various embodiments, IP marketplace 115 enables project managementfunctionality. A project overview data structure summarizes the IP assetthat user 105 (e.g., an IP owner) is considering for license/sale. IPMATE 147 invokes workflow engine 148 and accesses IP asset database 150to determine a set of tasks related to states of the IP assetcommercialization project. As discussed briefly above, the tasksinvolved may include approving the IP documentation submitted, valuingand rating the IP asset, creating a marketing package (e.g., informationsheets, brochures, demonstrations, etc) for the IP asset, cataloging theIP asset to systematically package (e.g., combine assets into aportfolio) and characterize the IP (by industry, index, subject matter,etc) to prepare it for potential sale, and managing data accesspermissions for users 105 (e.g., a potential buyer) wishing to receiveadditional information regarding the IP asset.

IP asset IP marketplace 115 enables marketing IP assets via the interneand management of the contract process for the purpose of selling IPrights. In various embodiments, data stored in IP asset database 150 maybe deemed as public due to the fact that such data may be published forthe purpose of selling IP. IP marketplace 115 enables both open accesspublishing and controlled publishing. In embodiment, a user 105authorizes controlled publishing of IP asset data, i.e., only invitedusers will are able to access the data. In various embodiments, the datastored during a contract negotiations phase is considered restricted. Ifthe negotiations for a transaction are unsuccessful, then the specificdata may be deleted (or archived) from the system by user 105. Thesecure and authorized access to data on the platform is enabled byworkflow engine 148 and processes defined in IP asset database 150. IPMATE 147 includes robust user and permissions logic. In variousembodiments, upon receipt of a data request, permissions are verified byIP MATE 147 and/or a web-service invoked by IP Marketplace 115. Thus, IPMarketplace enables security such that the users that created the datacan grant access to other users.

In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 enforces two requirements forgranting access to data. First, IP MATE 147 ensures that the requestinguser 105 is associated with the IP owner (e.g., company associated withthe asset) or is associated with network of confirmed associates of theIP owner. Secondly, a user 105 that created the data explicitly grantsaccess to anyone in their network to the module of the application forwhich the data was created. In this manner, confidentiality is theresponsibility of the user/owner. In various embodiments, the IP ownerhas full access to delete files, can remove any other user's access, andcan make a project inactive, so that no one has access. In variousembodiments, backup data is updated during incremental backup proceduresso that once deleted, it is also deleted on the backup memory.

IP marketplace 115 enables merchandizing of an IP asset. In variousembodiments, IP marketplace 115 receives IP documentation for an IPasset. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the IPdocumentation is in a standardized format based upon a standardizedtemplate. IP MATE 147 determines, based upon the IP documentation, acategory for the IP asset. In various embodiments multiplecategorizations may be made by IP MATE 147. IP MATE 147 may alsodetermine an industry and assign a unique identifier (e.g., serialnumber) for the IP asset. IP MATE 147 creates a marketing document(e.g., a fact/information sheet, brochure, etc.) based upon the IPdocumentation. In various embodiments, the marketing document may bestandardized based upon, for example, the type of IP, industry, IPowner, associated technologies and/or anticipated market or buyers forthe IP asset. The marketing document may include a valuation and/or arating of the IP asset. In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115allows an IP owner to group IP assets together create an IP portfolioand marketing documents associated with the IP portfolio.

IP MATE 147 stores the marketing document in IP asset database 150. Asdiscussed in detail above, the marketing document may be published toany user (open access publishing) of IP Marketplace 115, or IPMarketplace 115 may limit access to authorized users (controlled accesspublishing). In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 requestsapproval of the marketing document by the IP owner regardless of how themarketing document will be published. The approval may be based upon acompany specific approval processes a default process or a combination.Workflow engine 148 controls and tracks the approval process. In variousembodiments, the approval process is iterative and interactive; forexample, the IP owner may modify format and content of the marketingdocument during the approval process. In various embodiments IP MATE 147invokes logic to publish the marketing document and other dataassociated with the IP asset. In various embodiments, workflow engine148 reads the work plan associated with commercializing the IP asset andperforms other tasks such as activating the IP asset to be included forconsideration by a matching algorithm that matches buyer requirementswith IP assets.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 includes a user interfaceenabling an IP owner to easily manage IP assets listed on themarketplace and track the assets' progress towards commercialization.User 105 is presented with a dashboard showing the user's“commercialization projects”, any associated files (e.g., IPdocumentation, term sheets, ratings, etc) and tasks. The dashboard alsopresents a list of contacts to create a network related by workingrelationships that consist of other users (internal or serviceproviders) that have been selected by the user. The ability to create acustomized network of contacts not only gives the user complete controlof collaboration, it also allows complete control over sharing projectinformation.

In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 executes processes to value and ratean IP asset. IP MATE 147 retrieves IP asset data associated with the IPasset. In various embodiments, the IP asset data is comprised of dataelements and each data element corresponds to an IP attribute. Basedupon a variety of factors, IP MATE 147 may determine a plurality of IPattributes to retrieve for the IP asset. For instance the plurality ofattributes may be determined based upon a rating method, a valuationprocess, the inputs to a valuation model (e.g., valuation algorithm),the IP asset type, the IP owner, a country granting an IP rightassociated with the IP asset, the industry, the technology associatedwith the IP asset, etc. IP MATE 147 uses the IP asset data retrievedfrom IP asset database 150 to determine a rating and a value for the IPasset.

IP Marketplace 147 may provide standardized ratings using a number ofrating methods. In various embodiments IP MATE 147 rates an IP assetbased at least partially upon a comparison to a market portfolio and/anan internal portfolio. For example IP MATE 147 may determine theinternal portfolio by accessing IP asset information stored on IP assetdatabase 150, determining a plurality of similar IP assets, andcomparing attributes of the plurality of similar IP assets to the IPasset data for the IP asset being rated. In various embodiments, IP MATE147 may determine a market portfolio by accessing an external datasource, accessing a market analysis and/or obtaining an expert opinion.Ratings may be based upon an evaluation by an industry association, byexperts, the reputation of an inventor associated with the IP assetand/or the reputation of the owner of the IP asset. In variousembodiments, IP marketplace 115 enables polling (e.g., via an onlinesurvey) other marketplace participants to determine reputation of aninventor and/or an IP owner.

As one of skill in the art will recognize, valuing an IP asset maycomprise a variety of calculations, forecasts, comparisons, analysis,etc. For instance, the value of a patent may be based upon determiningwhether any third party has, or may claim title to, the patent (e.g., ifan inventor that did not properly assign the patent rights). Thus, thevalue of a patent may depend on a title search and clean title historyof the ownership rights of the patent. IP MATE 147 may perform numerousvaluations of an IP asset based upon, for example, an industry standardvaluation model, a valuation model of the owner, a valuation model of apotential buyer, a standard valuation model for the particulartechnology area, etc.

In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 performs valuation models based uponhistorical comparables. Values may be determined based upon comparabletransactions. The data for the comparable transaction may come fromexternal data sources (e.g., the interne, other IP transactiondatabases), from historical transaction data stored on IP asset database150, or from a combination of the two. The valuation may be based upon acost valuation and a utility valuation. The value may also be a range ofvalues. In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 may individually value anumber of IP assets that have been grouped into a portfolio and may alsodetermine a value of the portfolio based upon, for example, thestrategic significance of obtaining ownership rights to all the IPassets in the portfolio.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 determines factors associatedwith patent quality and produces a valuation based upon the factors. IPMarketplace 115 retrieves IP asset data from IP asset database 150,determines a plurality of factors associated with the value of the IPasset and determines, based at least partially upon the IP asset data, avaluation of the IP asset. IP Marketplace 115 may obtain patent datafrom a government data source associated with a government authoritysuch as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), theEuropean Patent Office or a foreign patent governing authority. IPMarketplace 115 may, for example: determine whether the inventorship onan inventor declaration is consistent with the inventorship on anapplication data sheet; determine whether the inventorship on anassignment document is consistent with the inventorship on an assignmentdocument; audit a chain of title associated with the patent; determinewhether maintenance fees associated with the patent are up-to-date;determine whether a claim of invalidity against the patent exists;determine whether a request for reexamination of the patent exists;identify litigation associated with the patent; determine a remainingperiod before the patent expires; identify licenses associated with thepatent; identifying the rights granted in the licenses associated withthe patent; determine, based upon patent rules of a country associatedwith issuing the patent, whether the claims of the patent can beamended; determine whether a duty of disclosure has been met for thepatent; determine whether an information disclosure statement of thepatent is cross-referenced in the file history of all patents related tothe patent; determine whether a related patent application may be filedclaiming priority to the patent; and/or determine whether aninterference proceeding associated with a patent application wasinitiated, wherein the patent is the patent application.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 receives an inquiry from auser 105 (e.g., a potential buyer). The inquiry comprises a requested IPasset attributes such as price range, technology, time remaining onpatent, countries/jurisdictions where the IP asset enjoys protection,number of related patents, etc. IP MATE 147 determines a match betweenthe IP asset and the requested IP asset attributes and identifies the IPasset to the buyer. IP MATE 147 may search for matches on IP assetdatabase 150 (internal search) or may search external data sources suchas, for example, the Internet, proprietary databases, subscriptiondatabases and corporate databases. As such, IP Marketplace 115 mayprovide comprehensive matching of all available IP assets that apotential buyer may be interested in.

In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 creates a list of available IPassets that match the requested IP attributes and provides the list touser 105. The list presented to user 105 may show the IP asset marketingdata, a category, a subject matter associated with the IP asset, anindustry associated with the IP asset and a unique identifier associatedwith the IP asset. In various embodiments, user 105 may select an IPasset from the list of IP assets and IP MATE 147 creates a responseproviding more data about the selected IP asset. For example, theadditional data may comprise the marketing document, a rating, avaluation, contact information of the seller, etc. In variousembodiments, the marketing document is in a markup language format and aweb page is dynamically created based at least partially upon data inthe IP asset database.

Not only does IP marketplace 115 enable an IP owner to merchandize andcatalogue an IP asset, but it also facilitates a complete IP transactionprocess. In various embodiments, IP marketplace 115 receives, from abuyer, an inquiry comprising requested IP asset attributes, matches anIP asset and the requested IP asset attributes and identifies the IPasset to the buyer. In various embodiments, a buyer indicates interestin purchasing or licensing the IP asset and IP MATE 147 creates a “dealroom” on IP Marketplace 115. The deal room is a virtual space, or dataarea on IP Marketplace 115 that may be dedicated to a specific IPtransaction. The IP owner may invite a potential buyer (or potentiallicensee's) into the data room to share data, tasks and milestones in aneffort to streamline the deal making process. Thus, in variousembodiments, the deal room enforces data permissions that may bespecific to the IP transaction or to the users authorized to access thedeal room.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 receives a due diligence (DD)request from the buyer for additional data on the IP asset that is beingconsidered for a transaction. In response to the DD request, IP MATE 147may automatically create (e.g., by allocating memory, creating custominterfaces, assigning permissions, etc.) the deal room and send aapproval request to the IP owner to allow the buyer access to the dealroom. In various embodiments, in response to a DD request, IP MATE 147sends an approval request directly to the IP owner and, upon approval,sends the requested DD information directly to the buyer. DD informationmay also be preauthorized for viewing by any buyer that requests it.

IP Marketplace 115 receives a purchase request (or a buy offer) from abuyer. The request may include exact terms or the request may be anindication of a willingness to enter into negotiations. In variousembodiments, in response to receiving the purchase request, IP MATE 147invokes an IP transaction workflow based upon a predefined process. Thepredefined process may include business rules and process steps and thebusiness rules that are either standardized by IP Marketplace 115 ordefined by the buyer, defined by the IP owner, defined by an industrystandard, etc. In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 generates, based upona standardized IP transaction workflow, a transaction task list for apending transaction associated with the IP asset and tracks the statusof a plurality of tasks that comprise the transaction task list.

In various embodiments, the IP transaction workflow dictates the timingwith which certain data permissions are activated (and deactivated) forvarious participants (e.g. buyer, seller, valuation experts,consultants, etc.) in the IP transaction. Thus, in various embodiments,the data permissions profile for a user 105 (or group of users) isassociated with multiple levels of data security and the levels aredetermined at least partially by an IP transaction workflow. Forexample, IP MATE 147 may determine that the buyer is permitted to view aset of documents (or a level of data) based upon a status of anegotiation between the buyer and an owner of the IP asset, the receiptof a payment (or other document) from the buyer, an approval by an ownerof the IP asset, an approval of a licensee of the IP asset, etc.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 enables the buyer to performa custom valuation of the IP asset. For example, IP Marketplace 115receives a request from the buyer for a custom valuation of the IPasset; IP MATE 147 determines the algorithm and data inputs for thecustom valuation and performs the custom valuation of the IP asset. Invarious embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 comprises interfaces andcommunication functionality to facilitate online negotiation withbetween participants of an IP transaction. IP Marketplace 115 may alsoinclude a scheduler that accesses IP asset database 150 to determine aphysical meeting place that may support a “live” meeting betweenparticipants of an IP transaction. In various embodiments, membership inthe IP Marketplace provides access to resources and facilitiesassociated with the IP Marketplace.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 facilitates a referralnetwork of service providers. IP asset database 150 includes a directoryof service providers and IP Marketplace 115 includes an interface thatallows a user 105 to request a service provider. IP MATE 147 may executean algorithm to determine an appropriate service provider to match witha user 105.

IP Marketplace 115 also supports post-IP transaction activities such astracking patent or trademark fees and calculating royalty payments. Invarious embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 obtains transaction datadefining an IP licensing transaction, analyzing the transaction data todetermine royalty payment terms and facilitates collection of royaltypayments based upon the royalty payment terms. The IP transaction datamay be retrieved from IP asset database 150 (e.g., if the transactionwas facilitated by the marketplace) or may be entered by the IP owner ona user interface provided by IP Marketplace 115. Royalty payment termsmay include a payment schedule, a royalty base, a royalty calculationand a royalty report description. Based upon a schedule defined at leastpartially by the royalty payment terms, IP Marketplace 115 sends aroyalty report reminder and/or royalty payment reminder to a licensee.IP Marketplace 115 receives a licensee report associated with the IPlicensing transaction. In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 analyzes thelicensee report and calculates, based upon the royalty payment terms, atleast one of a royalty due amount and a royalty base. IP MATE 147creates a royalty invoice and IP Marketplace 115 sends the invoice tothe licensee. IP Marketplace receives a royalty payment, notifies the IPowner of the royalty payment and, in various embodiments, verifies theamount of the royalty payment. In various embodiments, the royaltypayment may be paid using an account the licensee has with IPMarketplace 115. For example, in various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115includes transaction account functionality and issues transactionaccounts to its members. Royalty payments may be made by a licensee viaa transaction account and IP Marketplace 115 may debit the licensee'saccount and credit an IP owner's transaction account.

In various embodiments, IP marketplace 115 also enables automated auditof data submitted to the system. For example, IP marketplace 115performs an automated audit of a licensee report, sends a report basedupon the audit and may determine, based IP transaction data, a penaltyassociated with non-compliance by the licensee. In various embodiments,IP Marketplace facilitates recording an IP transaction by, for example,creating a report based upon the IP licensing transaction and sendingthe report to a license recording authority.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 includes membership accounts.IP Marketplace 115 may provide incentives to conduct transactions, orperform other activities via the system. The incentives may include oneor more of a lower Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on a transactionaccount, a discount on the finance charges, a rebate on finance charges,a cash bonus, a cash-back amount, membership reward points, reducedrenewal fee, achievement credit toward a future incentive, increasedcredit line, increased spend line, statement credit, gift vouchers,gifts, special privileges, special access passes (e.g., back-stagepass). The incentives may be selected using a tiered incentive model. Invarious embodiments, an achievement credit comprises a credit orincrement of a balance. In various embodiments, a discount is areduction in the amount of finance charges accrued (or fees assessed) onthe transaction account. A rebate may be a refund and/or credit of aportion of finance charges accrued (or fees assessed) on the transactionaccount. For example, a rebate may be sent to a customer (or credited toa customer account) several months after criteria for an incentive havebeen satisfied.

In various embodiments, IP marketplace 115 may provide the selectedincentives to user 105 by updating its internal databases as well ascommunicating the incentive information to user 105 through variousmeans known in the art. For example, IP marketplace 115 may adjustfuture billing statements of user 105, update consumer's 105 transactionaccount to reflect the incentives that the consumer has accrued, and/orsend user 105 incentive related communication in subsequent billingstatements or separately via email, facsimile or post.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 enables commercialtransactions involving the exchange of monetary value for goods,services, or other value between remote individuals, such as users of adistributed computer network or Internet users. The present inventionalso provides remote purchasers with means for making a secure,confidential transfer of funds; means for immediate initiation ofshipment by a seller; means for releasing funds to a seller only afterapproval of the goods, services, or other value received from theseller; means for demonstrating proof of payment; and means for havingsome level of recourse against a remote seller. More particularly, theinvention facilitates commercial transactions by suitably coordinatingthe transfer of financial tender from a financial account associatedwith a first party to a financial account associated with a second partyin exchange for the transfer of an IP asset, goods, or services from asecond party to a first party. Additional details are disclosed in U.S.application Ser. No. 12/242,759 entitled “Systems And Methods ForFacilitating Transactions” and filed on Sep. 30, 2008, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 provides lending servicesand/or support to lending institution. For instance the buyer of an IPasset may want to use credit to pay for a portion of the IP transaction.IP Marketplace 115 enables a structural risk analysis. Outputs of atotal structural risk model can be used in any business or marketsegment that extends credit or otherwise needs to evaluate thecreditworthiness of a particular consumer. As such, the marketplace mayfacilitate evaluating credit risk and securing credit for its members.

Modeling consumer risk includes, in various embodiments, obtainingconsumer data, modeling and/or processing the consumer data, andcreating an output. The output may then be used to make businessdecisions. In various embodiments, the present invention uses a varietyof data (e.g., consumer data) in conjunction with severalmodeling/processing procedures to assess risk.

A debt obligation includes any obligation a consumer has to pay a lendermoney. Any extension of credit from a lender to a consumer is alsoconsidered a debt obligation. A debt obligation may be secured orunsecured. Secured obligations may be secured with either real orpersonal property. A loan or a credit account are types of debtobligations. A security backed by debt obligations is considered a debtobligation itself. A mortgage includes a loan, typically in the form ofa promissory note, secured by real property. The real property may besecured by any legal means, such as, for example, via a mortgage or deedof trust. For convenience, a mortgage is used herein to refer to a loansecured by real property. An automobile loan includes a loan, typicallyin the form of a promissory note, which is secured by an automobile. Forconvenience, an automobile loan is used herein to refer to a loansecured by an automobile.

A lender is any person, entity, software and/or hardware that provideslending services. A lender may deal in secured or unsecured debtobligations. A lender may engage in secured debt obligations whereeither real or personal property acts as collateral. A lender need notoriginate loans but may hold securities backed by debt obligations. Alender may be only a subunit or subdivision of a larger organization. Amortgage holder includes any person or entity that is entitled torepayment of a mortgage. An automobile loan holder is any person orentity that is entitled to repayment of an automobile loan. As usedherein, the terms lender and credit issuer may be used interchangeably.Credit issuers may include financial services companies that issuecredit to consumers.

A trade or tradeline includes a credit or charge vehicle typicallyissued to an individual consumer by a credit grantor. Types oftradelines include, for example, bank loans, credit card accounts,retail cards, personal lines of credit and car loans/leases.

Tradeline data describes the consumer's account status and activity suchas, for example, names of companies where the consumer has accounts,dates such accounts were opened, credit limits, types of accounts,balances over a period of time and summary payment histories. Tradelinedata is generally available for the vast majority of actual consumers.Tradeline data, however, typically does not include individualtransaction data, which is largely unavailable because of consumerprivacy protections. Tradeline data may be used to determine bothindividual and aggregated consumer spending patterns, as describedherein.

Internal data is any data a credit issuer possesses or acquirespertaining to a particular consumer. Internal data may be gatheredbefore, during, or after a relationship between the credit issuer andthe consumer. Such data may include consumer demographic data. Consumerdemographic data includes any data pertaining to a consumer. Consumerdemographic data may include consumer name, address, telephone number,email address, employer and social security number. Consumertransactional data is any data pertaining to the particular transactionsin which a consumer engages during any given time period. Consumertransactional data may include transaction amount, transaction time,transaction vendor/merchant, and transaction vendor/merchant location.Transaction vendor/merchant location may contain a high degree ofspecificity to a vendor/merchant. For example, transactionvendor/merchant location may include a particular gasoline filingstation in a particular postal code located at a particular crosssection or address. Also for example, transaction vendor/merchantlocation may include a particular web address, such as a UniformResource Locator (“URL”), an email address and/or an Internet Protocol(“IP”) address for a vendor/merchant. Transaction vendor/merchantlocation may also include information gathered from a WHOIS databasepertaining to the registration of a particular web or IP address. WHOISdatabases include databases that contain data pertaining to Internet IPaddress registrations. Transaction vendor/merchant, and transactionvendor/merchant location may be associated with a particular consumerand further associated with sets of consumers. Consumer payment dataincludes any data pertaining to a consumer's history of paying debtobligations. Consumer payment data may include consumer payment dates,payment amounts, balance amount, and credit limit. Internal data mayfurther comprise records of consumer service calls, complaints, requestsfor credit line increases, questions, and comments. A record of aconsumer service call includes, for example, date of call, reason forcall, and any transcript or summary of the actual call.

Internal data may further comprise closed-loop data and open-loop data.Closed-loop data includes data obtained from a credit issuer'sclosed-loop transaction system. A closed-loop transaction systemincludes transaction systems under the control of one party. Closed-looptransaction systems may be used to obtain consumer transactional data.Open-loop data includes data obtained from a credit issuer's open-looptransaction system. An open-loop transaction system includes transactionsystems under the control of multiple parties.

Credit bureau data is any data retained by a credit bureau pertaining toa particular consumer. A credit bureau is any organization that collectsand/or distributes consumer data. A credit bureau may be a consumerreporting agency. Credit bureaus generally collect financial informationpertaining to consumers. Credit bureau data may include consumer accountdata, credit limits, balances, and payment history. Credit bureau datamay include credit bureau scores that reflect a consumer'screditworthiness. Credit bureau scores are developed from data availablein a consumer's file, such as the amount of lines of credit, paymentperformance, balance, and number of tradelines. The data available in aconsumer's file is used to model the risk of a consumer over a period oftime using statistical regression analysis. In various embodiments,those data elements that are found to be indicative of risk are weightedand combined to determine the credit score. For example, each dataelement may be given a score, with the final credit score being the sumof the data element scores.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 determines or accessesconsumer information that includes a comprehensive consumer default riskvalue for a consumer. One method comprises obtaining consumer creditdata relating to the consumer, modeling consumer spending pattern of theconsumer using the consumer credit data, and calculating thecomprehensive consumer default risk value for the consumer based uponthe consumer credit data and the consumer spending pattern. In variousembodiments, the method includes obtaining internal data relating to theconsumer and further calculating comprehensive consumer default riskvalue for the consumer based upon the internal data. In variousembodiments, determining the default risk value of the consumer may alsoinclude receiving credit bureau data related to multiple accounts of theconsumer and for a previous period of time, identifying balancetransfers into, or out of, those accounts, discounting any spendingidentified for any of the accounts for any portion of the previousperiod of time in which a balance transfer to such account isidentified, and estimating a purchasing ability of the consumer based onthe credit bureau data and the discounting.

The invention includes a method for facilitating earning loyalty points,wherein the loyalty points are associated with a geographic area, andthe method includes: receiving purchase data; determining a geographicarea related to the purchase data; determining an amount of geographicarea loyalty points based on the geographic area information andpurchase data; and updating the loyalty account with the geographic arealoyalty points. Receiving purchase data may include: receiving andstoring manufacturer item identifiers; receiving and processing aconsumer ID; receiving and processing purchase data, wherein thepurchase data comprises a retailer item identifier; associating at leasttwo of consumer ID, purchase data, and a manufacturer item identifier;and performing an analysis that is dependent upon the step ofassociating.

The invention also facilitates redeeming loyalty points, wherein theloyalty points are associated with a geographic area, by maintaining adatabase for storing geographic area loyalty points in a loyalty accountcorresponding to a participant; receiving a request related to arequested geographic redemption area to redeem an amount of thegeographic area loyalty points; determining if the requested geographicredemption area is associated with the geographic area loyalty points;and, adjusting the loyalty account based upon the amount of geographicarea loyalty points.

The invention further includes redeeming geographic area loyalty pointsin a predetermined geographic area. The determination of a geographicarea may be accomplished by using at least one of: zip codes, retaileridentification codes, retailer item identifier, store identifier,warranty data, service establishment codes, SKU codes, UPC manufacturercodes, consumer ID, retailer ID, manufacturer ID, purchaser profile,consumer enrollment data, retailer loyalty identifier, consumer account,aggregate consumer account, consumer profile, supplementary memberprofile, and third party provider information. Calculating thegeographic area loyalty points may include using at least one of aformula, ratio, percentage, consumer level, global positioning systeminformation, point level, retailer level, manufacturer level, and rewardlevel. The method may be implemented by an interactive, online computersystem and may further include informing a consumer of the loyaltypoints in real-time at a point-of-sale, a suggestive sale in ageographic area, pooling, gifting and transferring the geographic arealoyalty points or receiving purchase data includes receiving consumerdata from a dual use transaction card. More details regarding geographicsystems and loyalty point systems which may be incorporated into variousembodiments of the present invention are disclosed in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/708,570 entitled “Geographic Loyalty System AndMethod” and filed on Mar. 11, 2004; U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/304,251 entitled “System And Method For The Transfer Of LoyaltyPoints” filed on Nov. 26, 2002, U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,225 entitled “SystemAnd Method For Networked Loyalty Program” filed on Apr. 17, 2001; and,U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,226 entitled “System And Method For NetworkedLoyalty Program” filed on Nov. 6, 2001, which are hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety.

IP Marketplace 115 may offer a savings program to its members whichcreates discounts on transactions at specific, program-enrolledmerchants and/or based upon consumer spending. In various embodiments,IP Marketplace 115 enables systematic and automatic discount toconsumers when they use their transaction account for payment.

In various embodiments, participants in the IP Marketplace may earnloyalty points, redeem loyalty points, receive advanced loyalty pointsand receive a cash advance associated with loyalty points. In variousembodiments, as discussed above loyalty accounts may be associated withexecuting a transaction or using a preferred service provider.

An exemplary system and method of the present invention is generallydescribed, in terms of a transaction phase, a transaction authorizationand settlement phase, and an account reconciliation phase. During thetransaction phase, a loyalty program participant (e.g., a consumer)desiring to spend accumulated loyalty points selects products orservices for purchase from an individual merchant or ashopping/redemption network of merchants. For example, in an onlinetransaction, the participant may select a “pay with loyalty points”hyperlink button, thereby invoking a process to convert accumulatedloyalty points to some currency value such as a credit to aparticipant's financial transaction account. After selecting a givenproduct or service to purchase, the participant provides his or hertransaction card number and the transaction is processed as with anyother transaction. Additionally, in various embodiments, before thetransaction is allowed to go forward, the account manager verifies thatsufficient credit is available on participant's financial transactionaccount and/or sufficient loyalty points are available in participant'sloyalty account. In this case, a charge authorization system is accessedto compare the transaction details with account information stored inthe participant's loyalty account and the participant's transactionaccount.

During this verification process, the account manager's loyalty systemmiddleware determines the appropriate number of loyalty points to use byimplementing a conversion processor that converts the participant'sloyalty points to an appropriate currency equivalent (e.g., 100 loyaltypoints=$1 US). For example, taking into account the 100 to 1conversation ratio, if the transaction amount is $100.00, the loyaltypoint equivalent would be 10,000 points. If the participant confirms theuse of designated loyalty points to complete the purchase, theparticipant's loyalty account is reduced by the appropriate number ofloyalty points and the merchant proceeds with the transactionauthorization and settlement phase to complete the transaction.

During the account reconciliation phase, the accounts receivable systemreconciles the charge for the particular transaction with a credit fromthe participant's loyalty account. In various embodiments, for eachcharge where the participant selected to pay with loyalty points, therewill be a corresponding and offsetting charge to the account. In anotherembodiment, where the account participant desires to pay only part ofthe transaction amount with loyalty points, the loyalty credit will onlypartially offset the merchant charge and the remainder will be paid withthe participant's transaction card.

In various embodiments, an account participant is issued a number ofadvanced loyalty points to facilitate a purchase when a loyalty accountbalance is not sufficient to complete such a transaction. Using a numberof preset rules and criteria, an account manger calculates a number ofpoints available to an account participant as an advance. According tothis point advance embodiment, the account participant may subsequentlyutilize the advanced loyalty points to purchase goods and/or servicesfrom the account manger or any merchant that accepts the loyalty points.The user is allotted a period of time for which to earn enough loyaltypoints to offset the loyalty point advances. If, at the end of theallotted period of time, a balance of advanced loyalty points has notbeen offset, then the account manager may charge the participant anamount equal to the currency value of the loyalty points at the time ofthe advance. In various embodiments, to determine the number of loyaltypoints available for advance, account manager may consider consumerinformation (e.g., participant and financial account attributes). Theseattributes may include, for example, the participant's account history,other parties responsible for the participant's account, the length oftime the participant has been enrolled in the loyalty program, theproduct type associated with the loyalty account, the intended use ofthe points, and/or the like. For example, participants may be classifiedinto tiers according to the type of financial instrument associated withthe loyalty account. The available points for advance may also changedepending on how quickly a previous advance is replenished, or theavailable advance points may increase as each previously advanced pointis replenished. Practitioners will appreciate that the calculation ofloyalty points available for advance may be based on any number ofcharacteristics and variables.

Thus, a loyalty point transaction may include a participant desiring toapply loyalty points to facilitate a particular transaction over acomputerized network such as the internet: (1) uses his or her chargecard number to make an online purchase, (2) associates the charge cardaccount with a loyalty account; and (3) invokes a process to apply acurrency value credit (corresponding to a defined amount of loyaltypoints) to the participant's designated charge card account. Thiscurrency value credit may offset all or part of a correspondingpurchase. Therefore, loyalty points are not used to make the purchase,but may be used to offset at least part of a corresponding charge. Theintegration of the loyalty program and existing transaction (e.g.,charge card) account processing systems is undetectable to the merchantin that the merchant may be unaware that the customer is using loyaltypoints to offset at least part of the charge. Additional embodimentsrelate to the crediting of a variety of different accounts to facilitateparticular transactions. For more information regarding loyalty pointsand loyalty point advance features, see U.S. application Ser. No.11/548,203, entitled “System And Method For Issuing And Using A LoyaltyPoint Advance” and filed on Oct. 10, 2006 which hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

In various embodiments, an action on IP Marketplace 115 is associatedwith a loyalty point advance or a loyalty point cash conversion. Thesystem receives a request from a consumer to exchange loyalty points fora purchase of an IP asset or to pay a service provider. The systemissues a loyalty point advance to the loyalty account of the consumer tofacilitate the purchase. In various embodiments, a desired consumerbehavior is associated with accumulating loyalty points, depleting theloyalty point account, closing the loyalty account, closing a secondloyalty account, transferring loyalty points from a second loyaltyaccount, or redeeming loyalty points.

In various embodiments, the system may determine a time period duringwhich the consumer may earn loyalty points to offset the loyalty pointadvance and a positive behavior reward associated with an incentive mayinvolve offsetting at least a portion of the loyalty point advance inresponse to the determining the desired behavior attribute is satisfied.In various embodiments, the system charges a transaction accountassociated with the consumer for the amount of the purchase minus thecash value associated with the loyalty point advance. However, inresponse to determining the desired behavior for an incentive issatisfied, the system may reward the consumer by crediting thetransaction account for the cash value associated with the loyalty pointadvance.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 includes functionality toenable opportunity, product and/or service development, evolution,refinement and funding. This “Start Up Zone” (not pictured in FIG. 1B)area of IP Marketplace 115 may be used by an entity to organize, design,develop, showcase, receive feedback, receive expert advice, construct,fund, market and sell IP such as a digital product or a digital service(collectively, “digital product”). In various embodiments, IPMarketplace 115 includes a multitude of tools such as, for example, asearch tool, a statistical scoring tool, an access configuration tool,an interactive assessment tool, a recommendations tool, a storage tool,a feedback tool, an expert advice tool, a web recording tool, a marketresearch tool, a project management tool, a prototype tool, ademonstration tool, a connect and recommend tool and a mobile alerttool.

A user may access Start Up Zone and its associated tools via an onlineportal. The tools available to the user at the online portal may be acustomized set of tools. For example, the user may configure the onlineportal by purchasing access to tools from an ala carte menu of tools. IPMarketplace 115 may determine the tools available to the user basedupon, for example, a user subscription level, the industry, the type ofuser, or characteristics of the digital product. For example, IPMarketplace 115 may make available to the user a different set of toolsif the digital product is a game, than if the digital product is abusiness application. Furthermore, in various embodiments, IPMarketplace 115 is configured to facilitate the application ofstandardized processes to a product development lifecycle (e.g., for anentrepreneur). For example, IP Marketplace may configure a marketresearch tool differently for a user that is developing a high-pricedbusiness application, than for a user who is developing a $0.99 app foruse on a mobile phone.

The interactive assessment tool enables the application of standardizedprocesses, assessments and evaluations to a product development effort.In various embodiments, the interactive assessment tool is used by StartUp Zone to gather standardized data regarding an opportunity, a projectand/or a product or service. The tool is set up with discrete steps inthe product development process, such as define target segment, sizemarket, define value proposition. For each step, the tool is pre-definedwith a number of questions to help the entrepreneur assess and benchmarkthe state of product development. The questions are both qualitative andmultiple choice in nature. The tool will compute the inputs from theentrepreneur to calibrate within its database and peer universe fromother entrepreneur to provide guidance on the state of productdevelopment and identify areas where further research/validation wouldbe useful to further enhance likelihood of success.

The search tool allows a user to find experts based upon searchcriteria. For example, a user may search for an expert based upon therelevance of the expert to a product being developed. In variousembodiments, Start Up Zone determines a relevance score for each expertamong the plurality of experts and the relevance score is at leastpartially based upon an industry, a skill set of the expert, areputation of the expert, a cooperativeness factor, an effectivenessfactor, a qualification and/or a location. The score for the expert willincorporate the inputs from the statistical scoring tool, that willcalibrate from general web content generated by the expert, level ofactivities/interactions with the experts on the Startup Zone, andratings (both in terms of mean and variances) for the expert as well asthe level of authority of users providing the ratings within the StartupZone community. The search tool enables the user to search for theexpert based upon the relevance score, or for any of the data upon whichthe relevance score is based.

The statistical scoring tool enables a user to review and interpretfeedback received regarding a digital product and/or an opportunity. Thestatistical scoring tool may utilize any statistical scoring,forecasting, prediction or simulation method now known or laterdeveloped. Feedback may include a score, a rating, an offer to purchase,an offer to invest, a recommendation, a critique, a comparison, verbaladvice, written feedback, numerical feedback, etc. The statisticalscoring tool will balance the calibration of rankings/ratings in termsor mean, variance, size of universe, and the level of authority of thoseproviding the ratings/rankings within the Startup Zone community.

The access configuration tool enables a user to specify who, when, howand what type of data other users of the Start Up Zone may be able toview about an opportunity or digital product. Permissions areconfigurable by the user and may be stored at the entity (e.g., user orcompany) or opportunity (e.g., digital product) level. The Start Up Zonemay enable various levels of permissions to accommodate the complex setof users, data and steps associated with a product development effort.For example, a user may wish to grant a technical expert access totechnical documentation for a digital product while keeping suchdata/information hidden from a marketing consultant. Furthermore, aninvestor who is subject to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), may begranted full access to all the data stored in IP asset database 150 fora particular digital product.

As discussed previously, the secure and authorized access to data in theStart Up Zone is enabled by workflow engine 148 and processes defined inIP asset database 150. IP MATE 147 includes robust user and permissionslogic. In various embodiments, upon receipt of a data request,permissions are verified by IP MATE 147 and/or a web-service invoked byIP Marketplace 115. Permissions may be associated with the IPdocumentation and other data stored for an IP asset.

The web recording tool enables the recording and storage of dataexchanged in the Start Up Zone. For instance, the Start Up Zone mayenable a user to access a product design expert via chat or instantmessaging functionality. The digital data exchanged may include text,audio (e.g., voice), graphics, video etc. The web recording tool enablesa user to record the data offered by the expert. The web recording toolis also configured to allow the user to associate notes, tags and otherdata to the recorded data, in order to enhance the organization andusability of the recorded data.

The market research tool is an interactive tool that leverages thetraditional market research methodologies (e.g. focus group, survey,conjoint analysis) to help entrepreneurs to a) identify whichmethodology is more appropriate, b) design the study, c) seek inputsfrom experts regarding design, administration, and analysis; d)interpret study results. The tool will also showcase sample studies andanalysis.

The project management tool enables users to schedule, manage, trackand/or assign tasks. The tool also enables a user to track milestones,send status reports and receive status reports. In various embodiments,the project management tool includes a facility to draft, review andmodify notes regarding various activities, tasks, ideas and events. Thetracking of milestones can also be presented to a potential investor ora client.

The prototype tool is specifically designed to help entrepreneurs whohave completed the initial steps of product development (such as definesegment, size market, define value proposition). This tool will definesteps to build a prototype in a systematic fashion (e.g. draft design,design architecture, define generation 1 functionalities, test). Alongeach step, the tool maps out the “how to” recommendations with featuresthat allow the users to solicit feedback and validation from experts andpotential customers.

The demonstration tool will host and present the prototype to potentialinvestors and customers with the milestones from the market researchtool, prototype tool, and tournament results. It will allow potentialinvestors and clients to evaluate various prototypes with metrics fromthe tournament, market research tool and prototype tool with additionalcontext in the product development cycle.

The connect and recommend tool provides social networking functionalityin the Start Up Zone. For example, users can search for and connect toeach other and send and receive feedback, advice and recommendationsfrom the online community. Users can send links to another user toconnect with a member in his/her online network with specificinformation about the nature of engagement, areas of mutual interest,and provide an introduction for the two parties. The user can alsodefine and solicit the type of members he/she wants to connect with. Thetool will recommend members from the online community and the shortestway to connect with these recommended members leveraging the user'sexisting network of contacts within the Startup Zone.

The mobile alert tool enables an alert to be automatically generated andsent to a user. The alert may comprise an email, a text message, a phonecall and/or an indicator on the user's online portal. The mobile alertmay be triggered by any event captured by the Start Up Zone. Forexample, the Start Up Zone recognizes a connection to the user's productpage, a download of a product and/or receipt of a recommendation, ascore, or feedback. Furthermore, in various embodiments, a mobile alertmay be generated by the project management tool (e.g., upon thecompletion of a task, to alert a scheduled item, etc.).

The Start Up Zone enables a user to enter information regarding anopportunity, such as for example, a digital product. The information maybe entered according to a standardized process. For instance, Start UpZone presents a first question in a template, where the templateincludes fields which request standardized data for assessing thestandardized product. The Start Up Zone receives a response to the firstquestion and the first response is stored in IP asset database 150 asstandardized data associated with the opportunity. The Start Up Zone orone of its components (e.g., IP MATE 147) determines a second questionbased at least partially upon the response to the first question. Forinstance, the Start Up Zone may determine from the response to the firstquestion that the user is an entrepreneur and formulate a secondquestion in order to determine what stage of the product life cycle theproduct is in.

In various embodiments, based upon this interactive assessment process,the Start Up Zone configures an online portal for the user that providesa plurality of tools to the user. The Start Up Zone may acquire (e.g.via user input) opportunity data such as, for example, a title, adescription, a product image, and/or a link to product information. TheStart Up Zone may validate the opportunity data based upon predefinedrules. The user may provide a digital upload of the digital product tothe Start Up Zone.

The Start Up Zone may also determine based upon the product and/or basedupon the interactive assessment process, a standard set of processes fordeveloping the product. The Start Up Zone may create a marketingpackage, a demonstration or a web page at least partially based upon atleast one of the opportunity and the digital product.

The Start Up Zone may receive feedback associated with a product, aproject, etc from a user. The user may be, for example, a member of theonline community (e.g. an inventor or entrepreneur), a service provider(e.g., a consultant, a lawyer or an expert), a product tester or aninvestor. The Start Up Zone may also allow a user to request anddownload a digital product. For example, a user may be a product testeror a potential customer, that downloads a digital product and uses itfor a period of time. The user may provide a product evaluation of theproduct. The Start Up Zone may determine a product score for the digitalproduct. For example, the product score is determined, in variousembodiments, based upon a number of downloads of the digital product, ausage duration of the digital product and/or a product evaluation of thedigital product.

The Start Up Zone may provide a user with various methods to receiveassessments and advice regarding a product, a service, a project, or atask involved with developing any of these. For example, as discussedpreviously, the Start Up Zone may include a search tool that enables auser to identify an expert and receive feedback from the expert. Theexpert may be an industry expert, a member of the media, a judge in aproduct tournament and/or an investor. In various embodiments, choosingan expert that may be relevant to the user is based upon expert ratingdatabases, qualifications, peer ratings, industry knowledge and/orexperience. The Start Up Zone may determine a relevance score for theexpert. In various embodiments, the relevance score includes anexpertise score and a cooperativeness score. The cooperativeness mayindicate, for example, how easily others that have relied on theservices of the expert were able to contact the expert and/or whetherthe expert was able to provide relevant and/or timely feedback.

The Start Up Zone may also provide a marketplace for offering expertand/or consulting services and determining a price for those services.For example, pricing for an expert may be a flat rate, a metered (e.g.,by the minute) rate or a price determined based upon an auction. Invarious embodiments, Start Up Zone enables a user (e.g., entrepreneur)to bid on the services of an expert (or a number of experts) and/or haveexperts bid to provide a service. In various embodiments, an expert mayprovide feedback in a variety of ways. For example, feedback may includea score, a rating, an offer to purchase, an offer to invest, arecommendation, a critique and/or a comparison. In various embodiments,feedback is given interactively, for example, in an online meeting orchat session.

The Start Up Zone may aid entrepreneurs and/or facilitate thedevelopment and identification of desirable or high quality products byconducting a product tournament. In various embodiments, Start Up Zonemay identify products eligible for a tournament, while in variousembodiments, entrepreneurs may opt-in to a tournament. A plurality ofjudges may download, use, rate, score and/or provide feedback for adigital product. Tournaments may be scored based upon formal feedback ofjudges or based upon unstructured feedback of a crowd. For instance,tournaments may be scored based upon a crowd-sourcing feedback model.Tournament judges may also include, for example, investors, industryexperts, consumers and an appointed panel.

Tournaments may include one or more rounds. In various embodiments,Start Up Zone determines the score of a digital product for a firstround of the tournament. Determining the score may be based upon atleast one of a number of downloads of the first digital product, a usageduration of the first digital product, a product evaluation of the firstdigital product, and/or a ranking of the first digital product. Invarious embodiments, Start Up Zone applies a predetermined scoringalgorithm to aggregate a plurality of scores received from the pluralityof tournament judges. For a multi-round tournament, Start Up Zone maydetermine the winners of the first round and those winners advance to asecond round. Prizes may be awarded for participating, scoring above acertain level, advancing to a subsequent round and/or winning atournament. A prize may include, for example, a credit toward the StartUp Zone online portal and the use of the plurality of tools provided bythe Start Up Zone. In various embodiments, a tournament participant mayhave the opportunity to modify or enhance a product during thetournament. For example, based upon feedback received during the firstround of a tournament, a participant may develop a second version of adigital product which will be judged during the second round of thetournament.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 includes a variety ofchannels in an “IP Channel Guide” that may be useful to a user incommercializing an IP asset and/or an IP portfolio. A channel mayinclude tools, interfaces and third party service provider linkages forIP portfolios, IP assets, companies, industries, etc. A channel may be,for example, an internal tool, a service provided by IP Marketplace 115,an external tool, a third party service, a partner website, and/or thelike. For example, a member of the licensing department for a largebiotech company may use IP Marketplace 115 to develop thecommercialization strategy for an IP portfolio. IP Marketplace 115presents channels, tools and service providers that “make sense” basedupon what IP Marketplace 115 “knows” about the user, the user's company,their IP assets and portfolios, inventor information, previous IPcommercialization efforts, and/or the like. Thus, IP Marketplace 115enables an organization to focus on the commercialization effort andallows the organization to expand their marketing and distributionoutreach and to find out about and access IP tools that may have notbeen known to the organization.

IP Channel Guide groups channels into channel groupings. For example, IPMATE 147 determines that a company owns a number of IP assets in aparticular industry that have not been commercialized (e.g., licensed)and determines a customized grouping of channels that may be of interestto the company. IP Channel Guide is an online user interface. In variousembodiments, access to channels and channel groupings may vary dependingupon the user profile. For example, some users may have access to all orany portion of the functionality of IP Marketplace 115, to channelsonly, to marketing channels only, and/or the like. In variousembodiments, IP Marketplace 115 provides a variety of interfaces thatpresent channel groupings in an IP Channel Guide interface.

In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 retrieves user profile data fromuser database 140. The user profile data may include, for example,company information, a company hierarchy, partner and affiliateinformation, transaction data, associated buyers, associated sellers,associated inventors, an industry, a technology, a commercializationstrategy, business rules, and/or a commercialization workflow. IP MATE147 retrieves IP asset data, based upon the user profile data, from anintellectual property (IP) asset database. IP MATE 147 may determinechannels and channel grouping based upon the user profile data, the IPasset data and/or other configuration data.

IP Channel Guide may be any graphical user interface and employ any userinterface style, theme and/or strategy. In various embodiments, IPMarketplace 115 includes a channel customization tool that enables auser, company and/or other entity to define, customize and/orpersonalize a channel interface. For example, a user views the channelguide and identifies a channel that is not being used (e.g., an “empty”channel). The user clicks on the unused channel and the system promptsthe user to enter information to configure the channel; i.e. “newchannel parameters.” For example, configuration information may includethe URL associated with the channel, a category to associate with thechannel, etc. In various embodiments, the new channel parameterscomprise at least one of a category, a favorite list, a link, a uniformresource locator (URL), a customized web page, a social networking website, a priority order, a channel sponsor, a color, a logo, a graphic, adescription, and an extensible markup language (XML) file. Marketplace115 saves the new channel parameters and configures the channel guideinterface based upon the new channel parameters.

The IP Channel Guide may include customized channel groupings, access tointernal company tools, features of the company's IP portfolios, and/orthe like. In various embodiments, a company may configure the IP ChannelGuide to be partially determined and driven by a workflow. For example,the channel interface may be standardized based upon a company's IPcommercialization workflow. If an IP asset or portfolio is in aparticular commercialization stage, the company may wish to presentusers (e.g., the licensing staff) with a particular set of channelsand/or may choose to group the channels in a particular manner. Anotherexample of channels being partially determined by a workflow is that IPMATE 147 may present channels to a user during the IP disclosure andapproval process depending upon, for example, the type of inventorinvolved, the type of IP assets being disclosed, etc.

IP Channel Guide channel groupings may present channels in any order orpriority. For example, in various embodiments, IP MATE 147 determinesthe channels that are most relevant, most effective, most useful, and/ormost popular and emphasizes those channels (e.g., on the top of thelist, with different fonts or colors and/or in a separate portion of thechannel interface). Channels may be predefined (e.g., through aconfiguration or channel registration process) in IP Marketplace 115 andchannels may also be identified by IP Marketplace 115 in real time; forexample, IP MATE 147 may execute a search of external data sourcesand/or the internet to identify marketing or distribution channels andother tools that may be relevant to a user. In various embodiments,channel providers register a channel with IP Marketplace 115 via achannel registration interface. The interface enables the channelprovider to define the capabilities of the channel and to associate thechannel with categories and subcategories.

In various embodiments, IP Channel Guide may present channels based uponan agreement between a service provider and IP Marketplace 115. Forexample, a provider of IP valuation tools may have an agreement with IPMarketplace 115 that the provider's tools will be prioritized over othervaluation tools. In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 mayemphasize an IP trading platform in the IP Channel Guide because thetrading platform may provide IP marketplace 115 with a commission fortransactions that occur as a result of a referral from IP marketplace115. In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 includes a channel agreementworkflow and/or IP Marketplace 115 includes a channel agreementinterface. The channel agreement workflow defines a process by which theIP Marketplace and a channel provider negotiate terms of a channelagreement. In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 automatically registersthe channel and configures the IP Channel Guide based upon a channelagreement for the channel.

In various embodiments, an intellectual property (IP) marketplace systemcomprises a network interface communicating with a memory, the memorythat stores a computer program and communicates with an IP marketplaceprocessor. The processor, when executing the computer program receivesfrom a channel provider, a negotiation request associated with a firstchannel and parses the negotiation request into a plurality ofnegotiation parameters. The system determines a first response basedupon the negotiation parameters and sends the first response to thechannel provider. The system receives an acceptance of the firstresponse from the channel provider and, in response to the receiving theacceptance, displays the first channel in a channel guide interface ofthe IP marketplace system. In various embodiments, the system determinesfirst channel agreement terms based upon at least one of the negotiationrequest, negotiation parameters, the first response, the acceptance andthe channel. The system saves a channel agreement based upon the firstchannel agreement terms. The system generates the channel guideinterface based upon the first channel agreement terms. In variousembodiments, the terms comprise at least one of a request or requirementfor at least of when to display the first channel, how to display thefirst channel, customers for which the first channel is to be displayed,a first channel priority, and a channel grouping.

In various embodiments, the automated negotiation enabled by the IPMarketplace 115 includes first responses based upon a predeterminedrule. For example a rule may be associated with a category associatedwith the first channel, a pricing plan, a tiered pricing plan, anexisting channel agreement, and a channel usage estimate. IP Marketplace115 includes logic (e.g. IP MATE 147) to track a channel statisticassociated with the first channel. A channel statistic may include, forexample, channel usage volume, channel rating, channel usage type,channel usage frequency and channel feedback. IP Marketplace 115 maygenerate a report based upon the first channel statistic. For example,IP Marketplace 115 may generate an invoice showing negotiated terms anda calculation of a commission based upon the terms.

With reference now to FIG. 4, in various embodiments, IP Channel Guideincludes a marketing screen. Asset description 405 identifies anddescribes an IP asset that is available for sale, license and/or otherexploitation. Asset description 405 may refer to an individual IP asset(e.g., a patent) or a grouping of IP assets (e.g., an IP portfolio). Thechannel guide may be scrolling and/or color-coded. The channel guide maycomprise a plurality of IP channels 410. The IP channels may comprise atleast four high level categories 420; for example, Services 425, 3rdParty Channels 430, Tools 435 and Buyers 440. The Services 425 categoryincludes sub-categories 445 such as service providers (e.g., law firms,valuation companies, IP consultants and the like). The 3rd PartyChannels 430 include 3rd party platforms, exchanges and the like throughwhich IP and/or technology can be bought, sold, licensed and/orotherwise exploited. Tools 435 may include applications, systems andprocesses that facilitate IP commercialization including, for example,workflow processes, marketing, publishing, sales, research, negotiationand post transaction activities. Buyers 440 include companies,individuals, collaborative groups, pools and others seeking to buy,license and/or gain rights to IP and technology. FIG. 5 shows anembodiment of a category view in the IP Channel Guide.

Each sub-category 445 may also be selected and viewed in the IP ChannelGuide. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the user selects the Legalsub-category in the Services category and IP MATE 147 generates a listof law firms (and legal-related firms) and displays the list on aninterface. Sub-categories may be color-coded in the same manner ascategories.

In various embodiments, the IP Channel Guide may be launched from anyscreen/interface within IP Marketplace 115 including from any phase inthe workflow process. For example, the channel guides shown in FIGS. 5-6may be launched from the marketing interface shown in FIG. 4. The IPChannel Guide may also be configured as a default page that a user seesupon entering the IP Zone application. In various embodiments, the IPChannel Guide is simultaneously launched with the marketing interface,appearing in an appropriately sized window and located anywhere on theviewing screen.

When a user selects the IP Channel Guide, the full IP Channel Guidescreen may appear and may automatically start scrolling from the top ofthe guide beginning at IP Channel 0001. The user selects a channel andis provided with a full description of the channel and the opportunityto access and/or link to a service provider, a 3rd Party Channel, a tooland/or buyer(s). The IP Channel Guide interfaces are not limited tothose illustrated in FIGS. 5-6.

As discussed briefly above, IP assets may be associated with each otherinto various portfolios. Portfolio groupings are associations and notnecessarily exclusive groupings. In other words, an IP asset may beassociated with zero, one or many portfolios depending upon the factorsthat are used to define a portfolio. Similarly, portfolios may beassociated with other portfolios. Portfolios may be user or systemdefined. A user (e.g. a company) may configure IP assets into multipleportfolios to reflect, for example, logical groupings of technologies,an IP commercialization strategy, a product strategy, the company'sorganizational structure, a research and development project, and/or thelike. In various embodiments, IP MATE 147 defines a portfolio based uponfactors associated with a user. Factors may vary widely based upon thetype of user; e.g., whether the user is an inventor, an executive at acorporation that owns multiple IP portfolios, a potential buyer, aservice provider, a broker, and/or the like.

IP MATE 147 determines factors based upon various data such as datastored in IP asset database 150, a user profile, a company profile, IPasset data, external databases and the like. Factors may include anydata that may be associated with any entity. Such factors may include acommercialization strategy, a commercialization stage, a legal status,an owner, an inventor, a portfolio type, an IP asset type, an assetvaluation, an asset rating, a portfolio valuation, a portfolio rating,an industry, a technology, a IP asset transaction history associatedwith an owner, an interest level of a potential buyer, an IP acquisitionstrategy of a potential buyer, an IP transaction history of a potentialbuyer and/or a service provider incentive.

In various embodiments, a computer-based method for IP commercializationincludes determining an IP portfolio (or an individual IP asset)associated with the user. For example, based upon the user's profile andother configuration information, IP MATE 147 determines whether the useris associated with customized (e.g. user defined) IP portfolios and alsomay determine logical IP asset groupings (system defined portfolios). IPMATE 147 determines a plurality of factors associated with the IPportfolio and, based upon the factors, determines channels to present tothe user. For example, an IP portfolio may include a number of IP assetsthat would be suitable for licensing under a unit license right modeland IP MATE 147 may determine that IP trading platform may be an IPcommercialization channel that the IP owner may want to consider. Invarious embodiments, IP MATE 147 may determine that a number ofattributes or data elements for one or more of the IP assets in an IPportfolio are missing or incomplete. In this case, IP MATE 147 maysuggest various tools that assist the IP owner in characterizing,developing, rating and valuing the IP assets in order to develop a morerobust characterization of the IP assets.

IP MATE 147 groups the channels into channel groupings and presents thechannels to the user in a user interface. In various embodiments, a usermay be presented with multiple screens or interfaces (e.g. in a tab userinterface format). For example, a user may be presented with a channelgrouping for every IP portfolio associated with the user. As discussedabove, IP Marketplace 115 may group channels in any manner; e.g., basedupon user preference, company policy, predefined system settings, etc.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 is configured with defaultgroupings (e.g., categories) for channels. Thus, one interface providedby IP Marketplace 115 may resemble the channel guide interface of atelevision content provider (e.g. a cable television provider). Such adefault interface may show channels grouped by industry, technology,service provider type, IP asset type, etc. As discussed above, channelswithin the groupings may be sorted or prioritized in any manner.Channels may also be filtered by IP Marketplace 115. For example, IPMarketplace 115 may rate the channels based upon relevancy and onlypresent channels with a relevancy rating above a certain threshold. Invarious embodiments, relevancy ratings are over-ridden by other factorssuch as preferred partner agreements. For example, a low relevancerating that would normally render a channel such that it would not bepresented to a user may be nonetheless presented to the user, if aservice provider associated with the channel has paid to have thechannel shown to the user. In various embodiments, such considerationsas preferred partner agreements are automatically factored into therelevancy rating algorithm.

IP Channel Guide allows a user to choose a channel. In variousembodiments, IP Marketplace 115 receives input from the user indicatinga selection of a channel and IP Marketplace 115 initiates a softwareprogram (e.g., a opens a website, runs a program on the user clientmachine, etc.) associated with the channel. Some channels or tools mayallow IP Marketplace 115 to send data associated with the user and orthe IP assets. In various embodiments, upon selection of a channel by auser, IP Marketplace 115 determines interface parameters associated withthe channel and retrieves data (e.g. from IP asset database 150). IPMarketplace 115 makes the retrieved data available to the channel. Invarious embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 receives data from a channel.For example, a patent valuation tool may return various data regardingthe value of a patent. In various embodiments, data is received from achannel based upon a preconfigured interface, and in various embodimentsthe data interface between IP Marketplace 115 and a channel is dynamic.For example, the channel may return XML describing the data that isreturned to the marketplace.

For example, a marketing channel may assist IP owners in identifyingpotential buyers for the owners' IP assets. A user may wish to utilizethe channel's services and click on the channel from IP Marketplace 115.IP Marketplace 115 may determine the type of data that the marketingchannel may need in order to most effectively identify potential buyers.In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 may invoke an applicationprogramming interface (API) or read XML and determine that the channelrecommends that portfolios be based upon a certain technology groupingin order to achieve the best results for the channel. Based upon thisinformation, IP Marketplace 115 may determine an appropriate IPportfolio to share with the channel, retrieve the data associated withthe portfolio and invoke a software program associated with the channelsending the IP asset data to the software. In various embodiments, IPMarketplace 115 may help negotiate data requirements between the channeland the user. For example, a channel may request detailed IP asset datathat the user may not necessarily be ready or willing to share. IPMarketplace 115 may prompt the user on a data element by data element(or asset by asset) basis to determine which data the user wishes to besent to the marketing channel.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 includes a software moduleconfigured to invoke a survey or otherwise solicit feedback from a userregarding a channel. Feedback data regarding channels is stored (e.g.,in IP Asset Database 150) by IP Marketplace 115. In various embodiments,the various interfaces of IP Channel Guide may include feedback data,rankings or other information regarding the usefulness, accuracy,relevancy, effectiveness etc. of a channel.

In various embodiments, credits, loyalty points, a commission, a bountyand/or other forms of value may be awarded by a channel. For example, IPMarketplace 115 maintains a rewards program whereby a user mayaccumulate points based upon usage (or other interaction) with variousservice provider through the channels. IP Marketplace 115 may earn acommission or bounty for referral of a customer to a partner via thechannel interface. Commissions or bounties may be based upon any event,calculation and/or model agreed to between IP Marketplace 115 and theservice provider.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 includes a channelregistration interface that enables service providers to registerchannels with the marketplace. The channel registration interfaceenables the service provider to characterize the services provided bythe channel, identify customer and/or IP assets of interest to theservice provider, define rewards and/or commissions and negotiateincentives between IP Marketplace 115 for offering and prioritizing thechannel.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 receives a channelregistration request and notifies an approver of the channelregistration request. The approver may be any entity, software, hardwareand/or human user. Marketplace 115 receives an approval of the channelregistration request and saves the channel. In various embodiments,saving the channel may include parsing the channel registration request(and other data) to determine channel parameters such as, for example, acategory, a favorite list, a link, a uniform resource locator (URL), acustomized web page, a social networking web site, a priority order, achannel sponsor, a color, a logo, a graphic, a description, and anextensible markup language (XML) file. IP Marketplace 115 displays thechannel along with a plurality of channels in the channel guideinterface. In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 configures thechannel guide interface based upon the channel guide parameters.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 comprises a plurality ofapplication programming interfaces (APIs). The APIs enable IPMarketplace 115 to interface with various systems (e.g. a third partyapplication). API specifications may be open or proprietary. In variousembodiments, IP Marketplace 115 includes a plurality of API's enablingthird party or external applications to access the services of themarketplace and to build their own integrated channels. For example, achannel API enables a channel provider the ability to define andconfigure a channel and a deal API enables a buyer to invoke thenegotiation workflow of IP Marketplace 115. And, in on example, a user(e.g. a channel provider) may build custom applications (a.k.a., “apps”)that access the capabilities of IP Marketplace 115 via APIs. In variousembodiments, APIs may include, for example, a channel registration API,a channel configuration API, a channel output API, a channel promotionAPI, and a channel negotiation API.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 enables the operator of achannel to configure and offer promotions via the IP Marketplace. Forexample, a company that runs a valuation channel may wish to increaseusage of their service. The company may configure a promotion on IPMarketplace 115 such that the terms of the promotion are advertised toIP Marketplace 115 users. Promotions may be configured via a promotionsconfiguration interface and/or via a channel promotion API. IPMarketplace 115 receives a promotion setup request and parses therequest into promotion parameters. Promotion parameters may include forexample, criteria for who the promotion is offered to, criteria for thetiming of the promotion, a reward associated with a promotion, criteriafor qualifying for the reward, etc. IP Marketplace 115 associatespromotion parameters with one or more channels and saves the promotion(e.g. to a promotion database). In various embodiments, IP Marketplace115 may determine system entities (e.g. a user, a company, an IP Owner,an IP asset and an IP portfolio) that comply with first promotionalcriteria (as identified in the promotion parameters) and send a noticeof the promotion to such entities. In various embodiments, sending thenotice may include sending a promotion solicitation via an emailmessage, a link, a uniform resource locator (URL), a customized webpage, a social networking web site, an app, a text message and a mobileapplication. In various embodiments, users that are being offered apromotion receive notice of the promotion via the channel guideinterface. For example, the channel associated with the interface may bedisplayed with an indicator (e.g. a color, a graphic, text, etc) toinform the user that the channel is offering a promotion.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 may determine channels todisplay in the channel guide interface based upon a communityrecommendation, a channel relevancy and/or a channel effectiveness. Forexample, IP Marketplace 115 includes social networking aspects thatallow the community of users in the marketplace to network, collaborateand share information regarding resources (e.g., channels), bestpractices and the like.

In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 determines an IP portfolioassociated with a user and analyzes the IP portfolio to determine aplurality of factors associated with the IP portfolio. IP Marketplace115 may mine the various internal and external data sources to create“community knowledge” that may be relevant to a user, IP assets,portfolios, a company, a technology, an industry and channels offered inthe IP marketplace. Thus, in various embodiments, community knowledgerepresents an aggregation of an data, feedback and/or results from avariety of users or other data sources. For example, community knowledgemay include, for a plurality of users, IP transaction histories, IPtransaction size, IP transaction frequency, demographics, IP assettypes, industry, company size, technology, marketing plan and IPmarketplace strategy. IP Marketplace 115 determines a communityrecommendation based upon community knowledge and identifies one or morechannels to show on the channel guide of the user. IP marketplace 115continuously updates and refines community knowledge based upon, forexample a survey, a channel rating, a transaction history, an expertrating, a contest and/or an award received by a channel. Determining thecommunity recommendation may include use of at least one of deductivelogic, inferential analysis, forecasting and artificial intelligence. Invarious embodiments, the user approves channels before they are includedin the channel guide. IP Marketplace 115 may determine a category, apresentation style or a sort order for a channel based upon communityknowledge.

IP Marketplace 115 may also determine whether, how and/or when todisplay a channel in a channel guide interface based upon a channelrelevancy and/or a channel effectiveness. In various embodiments, IPMarketplace 115 determines a user, a channel relevancy for a channel anddecides based upon the channel relevancy, whether to include the channelin a channel guide interface associated a user. IP Marketplace 115 mayalso analyze the channel (or data associated with the first channel) todetermine a channel effectiveness of the channel. IP marketplace mayconfigure the channel differently based upon the channel effectiveness.For example, the channel may be manually or automatically included in afavorites channel list. The channel may also be automatically includedin a favorites channel list based on a certain rule or condition (e.g.,if the channel effectiveness is above a certain threshold). The channelsin the list of favorites may be the only channels appearing in theguide, upon being selected.

In various embodiments, the channel relevancy may be based upon an IPasset of the first user and/or an analysis of similar users. Similarusers may be determined, for example using a clustering algorithm orother statistical, inferential or numerical method. In variousembodiments, the clustering algorithm is based upon at least one oftransaction histories, user profile data, industry data, company profiledata, portfolio analysis and service providers. Channel relevancy mayalso be determined based upon a marketplace strategy, a marketplacestage, a legal status, an owner, an inventor, a portfolio type, an IPasset type, a valuation, a rating, an industry, a technology, a IP assettransaction history associated with an owner, an interest level of apotential buyer, an IP acquisition strategy of a potential buyer, an IPtransaction history of a potential buyer, service provider incentive anda service description of the channel.

In various embodiments, channels may be presented to a user (orsuppressed from a user's channel guide) based upon data access rules. Invarious embodiments, IP Marketplace 115 obtains IP transaction dataassociated with an IP asset and determines a first user as a buyer and asecond user as a seller of the IP asset. IP Marketplace 115 may alsodetermine a transaction status of the IP asset, wherein the transactionis associated with the buyer, the seller and the IP asset. In variousembodiments, the transaction status is determined based upon an IPtransaction workflow. IP marketplace 115 generates a first channel guideinterface for the buyer based upon the transaction status and/or a firstdata permissions profile associated with the buyer, and generates asecond channel guide interface for the seller based upon the transactionstatus and/or a second data permissions profile associated with theseller. The first channel guide may be sorted differently than thesecond channel guide and/or include a different channel categorygrouping than the second channel guide. In various embodiments, IPMarketplace 115 determines that the buyer is permitted to view a firstchannel based upon a status of a negotiation between the buyer and theseller.

In various embodiments, a channel may be associated with a group. Agroup may comprise, for example, a group of inventors, a group ofexperts, an industry group, a special interest group and/or the like.For example, a group may be an industry association, such as theInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) or the AmericanMedical Association (AMA), or a group may be an independent patentvaluation group, or a group of inventors such as inventors interested intouch screen technologies. In various embodiments, IP Marketplace 115receives a request for a new channel and determines (e.g., based uponthe request parameters and/or the requestor) that the new channel shouldbe associated with one or more groups. IP Marketplace 115 may determinea category for the channel based upon the group and, in variousembodiments, may configure the channel guide interface to include acustom color or a custom logo associated with the group. In variousembodiments, the channel may provide a referral service to members ofthe group. For example, IP Marketplace receives from a user a selectionof a channel and determines based upon a referral algorithm, a member ofthe group to which to refer the user. The referral algorithm may bebased upon, for example, a group profile, a user profile, a memberrating, a member priority, a member location and a random selection.

In various embodiments, a user initiates a channel by selecting thechannel from the channel guide interface. IP Marketplace initiates thechannel and determines channel information or channel output to presentto the user. In various embodiments, the user interface is unchangedand/or the user does not have any visual or explicit indication that IPMarketplace 115 is accessing a third party system or service. Thus, IPMarketplace 115 enables a seamless integration with channels. In variousembodiments, the channel output is presented in the IP marketplacesystem, the channel output is presented the channel output withoutexiting the IP marketplace system, and/or the channel output ispresented to the user at the same web site as the IP marketplace system.

Systems, methods and computer program products are provided. In thedetailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “anembodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodimentdescribed may include a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include theparticular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrasesare not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within theknowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure,or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or notexplicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparentto one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure inalternative embodiments.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have beendescribed herein with regard to specific embodiments. However, thebenefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that maycause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become morepronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essentialfeatures or elements of the invention. The scope of the invention isaccordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, inwhich reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean“one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one ormore.” Moreover, where a phrase similar to ‘at least one of A, B, or C’is used in the claims or specification, it is intended that the phrasebe interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in variousembodiments, B alone may be present in various embodiments, C alone maybe present in various embodiments, or that any combination of theelements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example,A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. All structural, chemical,and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-describedexemplary embodiments that are known to those of ordinary skill in theart are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended tobe encompassed by the present claims. Further, a list of elements doesnot include only those elements but may include other elements notexpressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, orapparatus.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An intellectual property (IP) marketplacesystem, comprising: an IP marketplace processor; a tangible,non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor; thetangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that,in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor toperform operations comprising: receiving, by the processor and from arequestor a new channel registration request, wherein the new channelregistration request comprises new channel parameters; determining, bythe processor and based upon at least one of the requestor and the newchannel parameters, that the new channel registration request isassociated with a group; determining, by the processor and based uponthe group, a first category to associated with the new channel; saving,by the processor and to the memory, a new channel comprising the newchannel parameters and the first category; determining, by theprocessor, a level of effectiveness of the new channel; and displaying,by the processor, a plurality of channels in a channel guide interface,wherein the plurality of channels comprises the new channel, and whereinthe new channel is prioritized within a list of the plurality ofchannels based on the level of effectiveness.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the group comprises at least one of a professional association,a group of inventors, a group of experts, an industry group and aspecial interest group.
 3. The system of claim 1, further comprisingdetermining, by the processor and based upon the group, a first approverof the channel registration request and notifying, by the processor andin response to the validating, a first approver of the channelregistration request.
 4. The system of claim 3, further comprisingreceiving, by the processor and from the first approver, an approval ofthe channel registration request.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein thenew channel parameters comprise at least one of an identification ofmembers of the group, a category, a favorite list, a link, a uniformresource locator (URL), a customized web page, a social networking website, a priority order, a channel sponsor, a color, a logo, a graphic, adescription, and an extensible markup language (XML) file.
 6. The systemof claim 1, further comprising configuring, by the processor, thechannel guide interface based upon a profile associated with the group.7. The system of claim 1, wherein the new channel parameters comprise atleast one of user profile data, IP asset data, IP portfolio data,company data, technology data and transaction data.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the channel guide interface groups a plurality ofchannels based upon a category of a plurality of categories, wherein theplurality of categories comprises at least one of the first category anda second category.
 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:determining, by the processor, a plurality of users associated with thegroup; and determining, by the processor, an IP portfolio associatedwith the plurality of users.
 10. The system of claim 9, furthercomprising: determining, by the processor and based upon the IPportfolio, a plurality of channels associated with the IP portfolio;generating, by the processor, a custom channel guide interface basedupon the IP portfolio and the plurality of channels; and presenting, bythe processor, the custom channel guide interface to a first user in theplurality of users.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the determiningthe plurality of channels comprises determining based upon the IPportfolio and at least one of the group and the requestor.
 12. Thesystem of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the processor andbased upon a first user, a channel relevancy for at least one of the newchannel and the group.
 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:including, by the processor and based upon the channel relevancy, thechannel in a channel guide interface associated with the first user. 14.The system of claim 12, further comprising retrieving, by the processor,user profile data associated with the first user from a user database,wherein the user profile data comprises at least one of companyinformation, a company hierarchy, affiliate information, partnerinformation, transaction data, associated buyers, associated sellers,associated inventors, an industry, a technology, a marketplace strategy,business rules, and a marketplace workflow, wherein the determining theplurality of channels comprises determining the plurality of channelsbased upon the user profile data.
 15. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising receiving, by the processor and from a user a selection ofthe new channel and determining based upon a referral algorithm a memberof the group and referring the user to the member.
 16. The system ofclaim 15, wherein the referral algorithm is based upon at least one of agroup profile, a user profile, a member rating, a member priority, amember location and a random selection.
 17. The system of claim 1,further comprising configuring, by the processor, the channel guideinterface to include at least one of a custom color or a custom logoassociated with the group.
 18. The system of claim 1, Wherein the newChannel parameters comprise a channel identifier, wherein the channelidentifier is numeric and the channel identifier is not associated withany existing channel.
 19. A computer-based method comprising: receiving,by an IP marketplace computer-based system and from a requestor a newchannel registration request, wherein the new channel registrationrequest comprises new channel parameters; determining, by thecomputer-based system and based upon at least one of the requestor andthe new channel parameters, that the new channel registration request isassociated with a group; determining, by the computer-based system andbased upon the group, a first category to associated with the newchannel; saving, by the computer-based system and to the memory, a newchannel comprising the new channel parameters and the first category;determining, by the computer-based system, a level of effectiveness ofthe new channel; and displaying, by the computer-based system, aplurality of channels in a channel guide interface, wherein theplurality of channels comprises the new Channel, and wherein the newchannel is prioritized within a list of the plurality of channels basedon the level of effectiveness.
 20. An article of manufacture including atangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium havinginstructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by an IPmarketplace computer-based system, causes the computer-based system toperform operations comprising; receiving, by the computer-based systemand from a requestor a new channel registration request, wherein the newchannel registration request comprises new channel parameters;determining, by the computer-based system and based upon at least one ofthe requestor and the new channel parameters, that the new channelregistration request is associated with a group; determining, by thecomputer-based system and based upon the group, a first category toassociated with the new channel; saving, by the computer-based systemand to the memory, a new channel comprising the new channel parametersand the first category; determining, by the computer-based system, alevel of effectiveness of the new channel; and displaying, by thecomputer-based system, a plurality of channels in a channel guideinterface, wherein the plurality of channels comprises the new channel,and wherein the new channel is prioritized within a list of theplurality of channels based on the level of effectiveness.